Something to Be
by Sammy41
Summary: The death of a Charmed One leaves the Halliwells in despair, forcing the next generation of witches to take up the fight. Follow the lives and problems of the Halliwells as they cope with nothing short of dramatic. Between demonic foes and lovers, substance abuse, cancer, revenge, careers, and not to mention a normal life - the next generation easily surpasses their mothers' battle
1. Episode One : If the Fates Allow

_**Synopsis: **Something to Be is a story following the lives of the Chamed Ones children. Each of them are unique in their own ways with seperate problems and inner conflicts but a unifying bond of family and friendship. A new threat is brewing with the death of an original Charmed One, leaving the next generation of Halliwell witches to take up the fight. Forces in the Underworld are building while the Halliwells try to sort through family problems, new powers, new relationships, and a way to keep a magical and normal life. _

_** See my profile for story roster complete with my dream cast and character details. **_

_Thanks for reading and I hope you leave a review! _

* * *

Episode One: If The Fates Allow

**It would be the coldest Christmas they would ever remember. **

A bitter wind slapped his scarf into the breeze, his auburn locks twisting with each painful gust. He was careful with his commonly clumsy steps, avoiding a fall caused by slick ice. The freezing weather was out of the usual San Francisco character, even with the December evening.

His breath was a cloud in the air, a reminder of the temperature and his continuing misfortune. The well lit suburban neighborhood was silent. Doors smiled at the street with glowing windows and colorful Christmas lights glimmered in holiday cheer. He kept his gaze down to avoid the happy displays. It angered him to know that everything was still the same for them.

But more than that it made him feel alone.

* * *

The manor smelled of pine needles and hickory ham. A fire cackled in the living room, sparks snapping with each flicker of the flames. Chimes of Christmas carols echoed from the television that was consumed by a black and white showing of a _Wonderful Life. _A tall Douglas fir was in one corner of the living room, spotted with shiny bulbs and lights. Packages wrapped in colorful paper were nestled beneath the tree. It was the ideal Christmas setting.

Piper Halliwell busied herself in the kitchen, gliding from countertop to countertop, stove to sink. The room was her domain. The one place where she always seemed to have absolute control. The one place she could depend on; aside from the arms of her husband.

"Piper, honey, you should take a minute to relax," he cooed ever so gently. The man was pushing sixty, his former golden locks dimmed with shades of gray. He was no less handsome than he had been before but in the time that had passed he had certainly aged.

"I'm fine Leo," Piper told him breathlessly.

"You've been on your feet all day."

"It's Christmas. Every other year I'm cooking all day."

"Every other year has been a little bit . . . different," Leo muttered softly. His eyes saddened with the words and he watched with a wrenching heart as his wife froze for a moment. He could see her lower lip give a discreet quiver. Her chest moved in an attempt to lock in emotion. He could see the pain in every part of her but with great defiance and strength she would deny its release. "It's okay to just let go, Piper."

Her head moved in disagreement. "Not now," she told him. "We're going to get through this Christmas. We're going to do it for the kids and for the rest of the family. That's how she would have wanted it."

Leo dropped his head in defeat, resenting her stubbornness as he often did. Before he could try to barter with her once more, a swirl of blue lights appeared in the center of the room. Emerging with the orbs was the couple's eldest son. His arms were full with poorly wrapped packages and a wide, ever-present grin was on his seemingly boyish face.

"Merry Christmas, mom," Wyatt greeted his mother ardently. He pecked a tender kiss to her cheek. "Sorry, I'm late. We had some last minute menu changes to finalize."

Wyatt Matthew Halliwell was purportedly the greatest of the Charmed legacy. He was known to the entire magical community as the Twice Blessed and most powerful being on Earth. It was a fact his parents took secret but never told pride in. A fact that he always avoided to stay humble. At twenty-nine Wyatt had been through his own series of misfortune and adventure. He had learned his own strengths and weaknesses. Most of all he had learned to never take anything for granted.

Magic of course wasn't the only birthright that Wyatt carried with him. The eldest of the latest Halliwell generation also carried on his mother's legacy. He was the head chef at the _Triquetra_, Piper Halliwell's first and only restaurant. As he arrived at the manor for Christmas dinner he was still clad in a white chef jacket and charcoal pants.

"You'd think things would be tame at the restaurant considering its Christmas," Leo said in surprise as he slowly helped Wyatt with the arm load of presents.

"I guess some people aren't lucky enough to have a cooking matriarch at holiday time," Wyatt replied. He rubbed his hands together as he looked to his mother. "Please tell me you left something for me to do…"

"Honey ham is already in the oven, rolls are baking, pies are setting …"

"Stuffing. I will help with the stuffing," Wyatt insisted. His mother's scowl soon overcame her face and he sighed. "Come on, you can't keep a Halliwell out of the kitchen. It's your fault anyway."

"My fault?"

"I got your genes."

"No, I think you are definitely your father's son. Remember how Chris supposedly got my neurotic habits?"

"And I got your cooking expertise; now allow me to assist you."

Leo chuckled to himself as he left the kitchen, striding through the dining room with arms full of Christmas gifts. His smile soon faded however as he came closer to the living room and suddenly his heart remembered why the holiday was consumed with such gloom. Only his sister-in-law acknowledged his presence as she sat on the sofa, two nieces at her sides. Phoebe gave him a sympathetic nod, though her eyes were shiny with sorrow. He swallowed down a pit of tears and nodded back before slowly distributing the gifts underneath the tree.

"Uncle Leo, is Wyatt here?" a meek voice spoke up. Phoebe's arm was secured around the girl's slender shoulders and slowly slid off as she shifted up from the cushions.

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen helping your aunt Piper," Leo answered.

Kate was the eldest of the Matthews-Mitchell twins, a detail she emphasized often. She had her mother's intelligence, determination, and matter of fact behavior; things that seemed to be absent in the present moment. The twenty-five year old had also taken up her mother's occupation as a whitelighter, devoting herself to charges and innocents with passion and generosity. She possessed the common powers of orbing, sensing, and healing as well as her mother's power of telekinetic orbing.

To most in the family Kate Pandora was Paige Matthews in the flesh.

"I'll go see if they need help," Kate sighed, rising from the couch with as much resilience as she could manage. Leo nearly opened his mouth to tell her that Piper and Wyatt would more than likely shoo her out of the kitchen, but then decided against it. No one would be shooing Kate away anytime soon.

Staying behind was Kate's "other half" as she was called. Samantha Piper Halliwell was born forty-two minutes after her sister though you would never be able to tell. The girls were completely identical with their dark brown hair and shimmering caramel eyes. Looks of course seemed to be one of few things the twins had in common. Sam, named after her maternal grandfather, lacked her mother and sister's feistiness, seeming to have more qualities that had been affluent in her father. The young witch was sensitive, careful, and reserved. She had avoided the magical path of Kate and Paige, settling in as a journalist for the Bay Mirror. Still, Sam was just as powerful as the rest of her family, wielding the gifts of deflection, premonition, and orbing.

She watched silently as her sister left her, leaving her head limp on her aunt's shoulder. She longed to be strong like her sister. She longed to be brave like her mother. In the current situation however she felt as though those gifts were something she had never inherited. Phoebe kept a comforting arm around her shoulder, feeling every sting in the woman's heavy heart. Sometimes it was painful to be an empath.

"Where'd everyone else go?" Leo asked, glancing around the room.

"Melinda and Lila went to the attic …" Phoebe said, her voice full of disapproval and foreboding. Leo seemed to share the same sentiment as his brow and face fell in worry. As usual however their conversation was cut off by the appearance of orbs. But in this particular case, they were not annoyed.

Chris, the family's "neurotic whitelighter", landed in the living room with practiced perfection. He was the family's most devoted witch and bordered on the line of dangerously loyal. Piper and Leo's middle child was bossy, obsessive, and sometimes infuriating but always well intentioned. Beneath his detached and focused exterior was passion and kindness. The Christmas evening was one of the few times the family could see it so clearly. His shoulders were slumped and his face was sullen as he faced his father, aunt, and cousin.

"Any sign of Joey?" Leo asked anxiously.

His youngest son grimly shook his head. "No," he replied. "I can't sense him anywhere."

"That's because he's wearing his amulet," Sam spoke up despondently. The trio of family members all looked to her in concern. "Don't worry. He's okay. Kate and I would know if he wasn't okay…"

Chris swallowed hard. "I'll go out and ---"

"No, don't Chris. It's not worth it. He just wants to be alone," she told him. When Leo and Chris looked to Phoebe for confirmation the famed author nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm going to go upstairs then. Got to go check something out in the attic," Chris said. He placed a hand on the top of Sam's head as he passed, the gesture his own small act of comfort and affection.

Leo and Phoebe exchanged a knowing glance before Leo followed quickly after his son. "Chris," he called catching him halfway up the staircase. His steps came to a halt.

"Yeah?"

"I know what you're going to do," Leo said, his eyes pleading. "I'm asking you to not. Not now."

Chris eyes grew a deep emerald in fierceness. His stance grew stiff and defensive. It was no secret that there was a darkness inside of Chris. No, it was not evil but something to be feared. Something developed in the womb. Something grown in the shadows of his eldest brother's success. Something that could not be taught. Now it was there, surrounding him as he faced his father. "You cannot ask me that," he told him, his voice shaking as he tried to keep control.

"It's Christmas."

"I don't care!" Chris barked. He lowered his voice and hunched in seriousness. "Someone crossed this family. Someone hurt us, dad. I'm not going to let them get away with that. I will do whatever I need to do to make it better."

Leo was the only one who could talk sense into his wife, into the Charmed ones, into the Elders, into his nieces and nephews, and especially into his children. His voice remained calm but firm as he broke in with reason. "You think going after these demons emotional and unprepared is going to make things better? You think the loss will hurt less after you get revenge? More than that do you think it will help anyone if you get hurt too?" he spoke seriously. Their eyes remained locked for a moment. Leo knew there would be no stopping his son. He was a man now. He was twenty-eight years old and a witch in his own right. Leo could only hope he chose the right path. With a deep sigh he spoke lowly: "your sister and Lila are in the attic. Dinner will be ready soon."

Chris watched as his father diffidently turned away. He remained frozen in his place, hand wrapped around the banister as his conscience tumbled restless with thoughts. "I hate when he does this . . ." he mumbled bitterly.

* * *

"Aunt Phoebe specifically asked you not to do this," Melinda Halliwell told her cousin as she sat on the nearly historic attic sofa. She watched uneasily while Lila flipped through the Book of Shadows at rapid speed.

"I'm twenty-four years old and last I checked you were an adult too, Mel. She can't control what we do," an unyielding voice reasoned in annoyance. Lila Patience Halliwell was the middle child of Phoebe and Coop. She was spirited and enthusiastic, constantly speaking her mind and doing as she pleased. Her passion was said to be derived from her mother, to which no one could argue.

"It's Christmas. We should be downstairs with the rest of the family. What good do you think this is doing anyone? Mom and aunt Phoebe and Kate and Sam and Joey need us and you're just fixating on revenge," Melinda sighed.

"Don't put this all on me. You can't tell me that you don't want to get back at whoever did this."

Melinda nervously glanced to the floor. "I just want to have a good Christmas. I just don't . . ." her voice broke and Lila looked up from the book. She slowly approached her younger cousin and took a seat next to her on the sofa, wrapping an arm around her.

"What's wrong?" Lila asked.

"The same thing that is always wrong. The fact that we never got to choose this. That we can't have a normal life. I never wanted to be a witch. I never wanted this destiny. It's ruining our lives. And now it's taken another life. Another member of our family," she confessed.

Twenty-four year old Melinda was Leo and Piper's youngest and only daughter. She was sweet, charming, and a bit vulnerable. She had her mother's soft side and her father's heart, leaving her quite exposed to the harshness of the world's evils. Being an empath did not soothe anything either. Of course that wasn't to say she lacked any strength. Melinda was a Halliwell after all. Like mother like daughter, she had inherited Piper's power of temporal stasis. And though she denied her legacy she had also accepted the bravery and rationale necessary to survive and cope.

"These powers aren't curses, Mel. Their gifts. You know that," Lila told her. Resenting life as a witch was something Lila would never understand. It inspired all she did. She was devoted to the craft and her family traditions. The young woman worked tirelessly as both a Cupid and a defender of the innocent.

"I'm sure you're right," Melinda sighed forlornly. "I just wish I could believe you."

The attic door swung open and Chris strode through with authority. Both girls instantly looked up at his arrival. "Find anything in the book?" he asked in complete aloofness.

"No," Lila answered just as detached. She released her arm from Mel and rose from the couch. "Did you find Joey?"

Chris shook his head. The emotion swelled beneath him as he thought of his youngest cousin and for a moment he froze, willing himself to be strong and cold. He paced over to the book, speaking quickly and with complete focus. With distant eyes he recalled the horrifying events that had led them to a gloomy holiday, his body and words completely tensed. "The demons were fast. They were fast and they were smart."

"Stupid enough to mess with the Halliwells though," Lila replied.

"They had strategy. They went straight for anyone with the ability to heal. That's why they lured Wyatt to the Underworld. Then at the Manor they went for Kate and I first. They had to have known that we were whitelighters," Chris said. The images flashed through his mind like a film strip. With his words Melinda shivered on the sofa, her face paling with each twisted remembrance. The memories made her feel sick.

"Can we please not talk about this now?" she asked.

Chris broke with sudden sympathy. He loved everyone in his family but when it came down to it he would sacrifice everything and everyone in the world for his sister and mother. They were the only two who could break him. "I'm sorry, Mel," he whispered. His green eyes glowered with sadness. "You should go downstairs."

She nodded before rising from the couch and slipping out of the room. "She's having a hard time coping," Lila told Chris.

"She'll be okay," he muttered before sliding back into his cold front. "Now, the demons' powers suggest that they were upper level."

Lila shook her head for a moment. "I feel like you might be going the wrong way with this. How do you know they weren't sent? Besides you hardly got a good look at any of them. It's not much to go off of."

"That's why I'm going to do some investigating," Chris said.

"Investigating?"

"I'm going to the Underworld tomorrow. I already spoke with the Elders about my charges. I'll leave after the funeral."

* * *

She trudged ungracefully up the front steps, dragging a full laundry bag behind her. Her brown Birkenstocks slipped along the ice, forcing her to cling helplessly to the side of the house. She cursed bitterly as she pulled on the handle to find it locked. "Locked door? What's that for? The big bad solicitators and neighborhood robbers? We have demons shimmering in and you're afraid of an unlocked door?" she grumbled under her breath. She rolled up her fist and pounded anxiously against the wood.

In an instant the barrier was pulled open and Wyatt greeted his young cousin. "Lucy!" he exclaimed eagerly. He towered over her small frame and five feet of height, making her feel like a munchkin as he enveloped her in a hug. When they released he spotted the plump military bag behind her. "What's with that?"

"Oh, just uh . . . laundry," Lucy answered with a shrug. Wyatt only shook his head before grabbing the stuffed bag and ushering her inside.

"Is that peanut?!" Phoebe called from the living room.

Lucy sighed and Wyatt gave a deep chuckle. Lucille Penelope Halliwell was the third of Coop and Phoebe's daughters and the second youngest of the next generation. She was twenty-two years old and a student at Stanford University, studying to be an architect. Lucy had strived to maintain an identity separate from that of her family and was known fondly for her bohemian style and liberal thinking. She was even tempered, creative, intuitive, and cynical, constantly making the most bland of situations interesting.

"Is the food ready?" she asked desperately.

"You've been here an entire minute," Wyatt said as they made their way for the living room.

"Well, let's just say I'm not here for the social scene. It's like a morgue or something."

"You know you might want to hold back on the crude comments," Wyatt warned in a whisper.

"What? She's dead. And if anything I think she would appreciate my sense of humor," Lucy replied.

Her words caused Wyatt to flush of all color by the time they had reached the living room where Sam and Phoebe still lounged. "Lucille Penelope Halliwell is that laundry?" her mother asked.

"Define laundry?"

"I can understand you bringing your dirty things to our house but your aunt's? That's in poor taste," Phoebe scolded.

"That's not the only thing in poor taste," Wyatt muttered. Lucy elbowed him in the ribs.

"Hey, I never said aunt Piper had to do it…" she grinned, offering her mother the bag. "Consider it my gift to you."

"Not funny," Phoebe replied, though both Wyatt and Sam snickered. It went without saying that sometimes as Halliwells it was easier to laugh to keep from weeping. That Christmas evening would be no exception.

"What's so funny in here?" Melinda asked as she bounded down that stairs and joined the group in the living room.

"Nothing teach," Lucy answered as the two shared an embrace. Following graduation from high school Melinda had been the first of her siblings to attend college. After six years of study at the University of California she had been hired for her dream job as a high school teacher.

"Dinner is ready!" Piper announced from the kitchen. The family members all carefully exchanged glances. The truth was that no one was hungry. No one wished to sit through a painful meal of artificial happiness and holiday cheer. The only thing they were willing to do was pretend in order to make it tolerable for one other.

"You should go get Chris and Lila from the attic," Melinda told her brother. Her tone said more than her words and Wyatt quickly understood. Even he, the most powerful of the Halliwells, had agreed that the current was no time for revenge or demon battles. More tragedy was something necessary to avoid in the dire circumstances.

As Wyatt left, Mel quickly caught up with Sam, placing an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her as they made their way for the dining room. "How are you?"

"Managing," Sam answered. Her voice became more staid. "They're up there plotting for retribution aren't they?"

Melinda gave a grim nod. "It's their way of coping."

"It's going to get another family member killed."

* * *

Wyatt pulled in a calming breath before opening the attic door. As he expected his brother and Lila were deep in conversation on the other side, hovering close to the Book of Shadows. "Dinner is ready," he said bleakly.

"We'll be down in a minute."

"No, you'll be down now, Chris. What the hell do you think you're doing anyway? You want to break mom and aunt Phoebe's heart?"

"You want to stand by and let whoever did this get away with it?" Chris countered.

"No. I want to take the proper time to grieve and support this family," Wyatt snapped.

Since they were boys Wyatt and Chris had been inseparable. They were best friends and partners. At the same token they were complete opposites. One was fire and one was ice. Their arguments were plentiful but never permanent. And never would the other hold back what they thought and felt. Never would they give into one another without a fight.

"You can't stop me Wyatt."

"Like hell I can't," he told him coldly. "If you think what you're doing is going to help this family, you're wrong. It's completely selfish and narrow minded."

Lila watched anxiously as the two brothers stared one another down. Never had things gotten physical, minus a few wrestling matches broken up by Leo but powers had never been used against one another. It was the only comfort she had as the two glared at one another.

"I already have the support of the Elders," Chris revealed.

"You what?"

"I'm leaving for the underworld tomorrow."

"I'm going with him," Lila added.

Wyatt looked between the two of them. "No. No you're not. Neither of you are."

"You can't control what we do, Wyatt," Chris said. His voice had become gentle and controlled. "We'll leave after the funeral. We're just going to do some investigating. Interrogate a few demons. Nothing dangerous or harming to the family."

Wyatt's attitude changed slightly. The support of the Elders meant many things and to him it meant that on some twisted level his brother had the right idea. "No vanquishing or murder sprees?"

"No."

"Good; I'll make sure of it."

"What?"

"I'm coming with you," Wyatt told him with a subtle smirk. He clapped his hands together. "Now, let's go eat some ham."

* * *

The door was unlocked when she arrived and with a shake of her head she pushed it open, mumbling about the safety hazard of an unbolted front door on her way inside.

"Wow, didn't think you would show up."

She looked up in time to find her younger sister frozen at the bottom of the staircase, hands on her hips as she stood in the front hall.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Lila," she replied.

Laura Patricia Halliwell was the eldest of Phoebe's three daughters. She was twenty-seven years old and the most independent of all her siblings and cousins, abandoning her destiny to create one of her own. The personal choice was one that had garnered her much grief from her younger sister, who often accused her of forsaking the family.

"So, how many years has it been at this point? Two going on three?"

"I'm not going to do this with you now," Laura muttered as she brushed past her. Much like Wyatt and Chris, Laura and Lila were of contradictory natures. Laura was even keeled, completely reasonable, and book savvy, while Lila bounced with vigor and character.

"Fine; avoid me just like you do everything else that isn't easy," Lila said, baiting her sister into an argument. Laura paused, giving a slow and foreboding laugh. She carefully turned to face her, folding arms across her chest as she stared her down with identical auburn eyes.

"Tell me, Lila, where do you get off? Is it making me miserable or just being a complete bitch?"

"I don't know but while I think about it why don't you tell me what it's like to be the only Halliwell who was born a coward."

* * *

Wyatt and Chris slipped into empty chairs at the dining room table just as Piper entered with a shining platter of ham. The family cooed with admiration as the main entrée arrived steaming with perfection. The long table was covered with a Piper Halliwell-esque feast. Warm mashed potatoes, soft rolls, stuffing, green beans, and steaming vegetables were among the dinner dishes.

With great caution Piper set the ham down onto the table and Leo happily began slicing away with the carving knife. Low conversation started around the table as different side dishes were passed from person to person. Lucy had already swallowed down two rolls and drowned her plate in balmy gravy.

"Where is Lila?" Phoebe whispered into Chris' ear.

"She was just behind us on the way down from the attic," he shrugged.

Suddenly a loud yell came from the front hall. The family paused their passing of dishes and conversations soon decreased in volume. "Selfish bitch!" a familiar voice shrieked from the front hall. The entire table went silent as the booming argument echoed through the manor.

"What's that?" Kate asked slowly.

"I think Laura is here," Phoebe muttered as she rose from her seat and removed the napkin from her lap. Without hesitation she left the table, prepared for only the worst. Piper followed suit behind her sister, freezing for a moment however to face the rest of the family who was beginning to move from their seats as well.

"Don't even think about it. Everyone just stay here; nothing to see," she advised. Grumbles of disappointment cooed around the table as Piper disappeared to disperse yet another family spar.

"Are you kidding me? No way am I missing this," Lucy announced, scrambling quickly from her seat. Leo reached for her but she was far from the table before he could come close. He groaned in frustration, rolling his eyes, and pressing a palm to his forehead.

"Tell us what happens!" Chris called after her.

"Why can't you just accept that I chose to have my own life? Not everything in this world is about magic and fantasy!" Laura bellowed at her sister.

"It's not fantasy Laura! It's reality and you're too selfish to carry on family destiny!"

"Why do you care?! Why can't you just worry about yourself and be done with it?! I'm sorry I'm not like you and dad who just live in this life of love and idealism!"

"Oh don't bring dad into this!"

"Why not? You'll just defend him like you always do! Mom needed a husband, not a free spirit! We needed a father not a man with a calling! I'm sorry things didn't work out between them but I've been done blaming mom for a long time. I've been done with all this magic and I'm actually happy, Lila! And the truth is that you're jealous!"

"I can't believe I even call you my sister! I don't even know you!"

"Girls!" Phoebe yelled at the two of them as she interfered. Her face was stark with seriousness, her voice rigid. "You stop this instant! I didn't raise you to fight like this."

"Yeah, you raised us to embrace our destiny and blessings. To devote ourselves to family," Lila said, her eyes narrowing in on Laura. Piper and Lucy entered quietly beside Phoebe as the two sisters faced off.

"I've never abandoned this family. Just my powers."

"Powers are a part of this family. They always have been," Lila hissed. "I'm surprised you even care that aunt Paige is dead - - -"

A hand slapped across Lila's face and her brown eyes grew dark with intensity. Laura was breathing heavily her cheeks scarlet with fury.

"Laura . . . Lila . . ." Phoebe began in a shaking voice. She nervously glanced between each daughter, sensing the sheer violent feelings developing. The fierceness of their eyes told her it was too late.

Lila gave a low grunt as she lunged at Laura, pushing at her shoulders and clawing at her face. Laura struggled against her sister's sudden force, shoving her away the best she could. When her arms became free she yanked relentlessly at her Lila's hair, causing a high pitched screech to echo in the living room.

"All right," Lucy chuckled as she flung herself onto the couch to watch the brawl.

"Leo!" Piper called for her husband. "We could use some help in here!"

With a strong hold on her older sister, Lila rammed Laura at the back of the couch, and in a fast instant the two swooped off the floor and flipped onto the other side. "Watch it!" Lucy yelled as Laura's foot smacked into the back of her head. The youngest sister scrambled away from the couch, nearly slamming into her mother as Phoebe moved to break up the fight.

"Stop it! Let go!" Phoebe ordered loudly. She attempted to pull Lila from Laura but only stumbled back over the coffee table.

With a thrust of power Laura pushed Lila off of her body and drove the two of them away from the couch. Without pause she slammed Lila into the wall, the stockings rattling out of their spots nearby and flying onto the floor. Lila shoved her away and with a loss of balance Laura tripped over the gifts beneath the tree, slamming ungracefully onto the floor. Without remorse or hesitation Lila climbed on top of her, pulling and hitting at whatever she could get her hands on. Laura desperately shielded herself with her arms, Lila's fists smacking into her hands and forearms.

Wyatt and Leo sprinted into the living room, pausing for a moment to absorb the rambunctious scene. Behind them the family ran in, skidding to a halt by Piper and Lucy, eager to see what had sent the home into turmoil. Wyatt moved for the girls and pulled Lila off of her sister, holding her back with his strong arms. Laura climbed to her feet, ready to attack again before Leo blocked her path.

"You bitch!" Laura spat at her sister.

"Enough!" Phoebe screamed loudly at her daughters. The girls, along with the rest of the now watching family, shuddered at the boom of her voice. It was one they had not heard in several years. One that meant they were beyond just in trouble with mom. Phoebe's eyes lacked any of their usual light or sparkle. Her jaw was clenched, her entire form stiff and shoulders rigid. She was absolutely gone and consumed by rage. "I have never been more ashamed. Both of you are a disgrace to this family! And not because of powers or occupation but because you have abandoned everything that your aunts and I have taught you! You have completely forsaken all that is good and valued in this home and in this family. And you brought shame upon your aunt Pa . . ."

Her voice broke off. The words stopped frozen in her throat and suddenly emotion became heavy in the room. Without pause Phoebe pulled away, striding out before anyone could move in protest. There was a deep silence left to fill the void that had been created and in sorrow the Halliwells sunk into its gloomy pit.

"This is hard for everyone . . ." Piper spoke up gently. Everyone looked to find her face, a beacon of light and hope in an hour of darkness. She was the voice of reason and leadership for the entire family, even her nieces and nephew. She was the core and heart of the large Halliwell clan and now more than ever in tragedy they looked for her grace and strength in the misery. "We _all_ loved Paige. We _all _are hurting. And no; it wasn't fair. But now isn't the time to be fighting with each other. Now isn't even the time for payback …"

Chris bowed his head at her words as Melinda's eyes burned into him. "It's not easy but we're going to get through the holiday and the funeral tomorrow the best we can. We're going to support each other and we're going to take care of each other; even if we don't want to. That's what Paige would want us to do. That's what we've all taught you to do."

"I'm sorry aunt Piper," Laura said warily, her face painted thick with remorse.

"Me too," Lila added.

"It's okay," their aunt whispered in response. She cleared her throat to erase the tears and put her hands on her hips, retaining the composure she constantly upheld. "Now clean this up. Go finish dinner and open your gifts. I'm going to go talk to Phoebe."

* * *

She carefully ran her hand over the worn cover of the family heirloom, her eyes filling with warm tears as her fingers brushed over the tattered olive leather. It was amazing to think how thick the Book had become. How the pages had yellowed and become more wrinkled. It had been used in dire situations, the pages flipped by the hands of countless Warren witches and protectors of the innocent.

Now it pained her to think another was gone.

When the attic door swung open Phoebe did not raise her gaze. Years in the house had taught her to know exactly who was entering. She knew who it was from the way their feet hit the creaking floorboards or how the handle turned with their fingers. "You should see this," she told her elder sister in a low monotone. Tears quietly pealed from her eyes and rolled down her pale cheeks. "It's all done."

Piper slowly came behind her sister, placing a warm hand on her shoulder before staring down at the closed Book of Shadows. Her heart dropped at the sight.

There, embroidered in gold on the cover, was a _broken _triquetra.

"No," Piper gasped in disbelief.

"She's really gone," Phoebe whimpered. "It's not like when Prue left. There's not another long lost sister out there. The Charmed ones are over. There is no power of three."

The two sisters melted into each other's arms, embracing with complete desperation. Sobs echoed in the attic as their chests heaved with each pitiful cry. In their years of battling and facing evil they had become accustomed to loss. They expected tragedy at every turn. But it still did not suppress the pain. It did not make it any easier. And even now, with years of experience and strength, it still hurt to lose another sister.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Piper cried hopelessly. For the past two days since her youngest sister's death she had suppressed all emotion, never once revealing weakness. Only now could she finally crumble in pity and depression. The two remaining Charmed ones huddled together on the sofa, lost and fraught with only one another for company.

For the past twenty years they had always worried about everyone else. They worried about the safety of their children. They worried for their unarmed husbands getting in the line of fire. They worried for innocents and exposure. They worried for giving their kids normal lives and for their happiness. But never had they worried about the death of one of their sisters.

"It's going to be okay," Phoebe insisted with a sniffle.

"How?" Piper choked on a sob. Her eyes were completely stained red from tears, her face damp and unkempt. "How are things supposed to be okay? The Charmed ones are over. There is no power of three. You saw the Book. What happens now?"

Phoebe swallowed, shaking her head as she took a moment to think. Her stare locked ahead on the dusty shelves of the attic, filled with books, crystals, and vials. The shelves were covered in memories. The attic was full of all the things that were the power of three. All the things that were the sisters. Now the attic would have to become new things.

"We still have the kids," Phoebe said. "Right?"

"Yeah," Piper agreed, the heaving of her chest stopping for a moment. She wiped her cheeks. "That was always our biggest fear, wasn't it?"

"Paige would have wanted it this way," her sister agreed. "She would die any day in place of her children or her nieces and nephews."

"You're right," Piper mumbled tiredly. "I still wish she wasn't gone."

"Me too," Phoebe sighed, dropping her head onto Piper's shoulder. They were quiet for a moment in reflection. "Do you remember when we first met Paige?"

"How could I forget?" she chuckled. Piper lowered her head in shame. "I remember she thought I hated her for so long."

"She wanted so bad to be one of 'us.' To please us," Phoebe said.

"She was a great witch," Piper whispered.

"She was a great sister," Phoebe added.

"We're going to be okay," Piper said optimistically. She squeezed Phoebe's hand into her own. "We always end up being okay. The kids . . . the kids will take up the reigns. I think it's about our turn to retire anyway."

"Don't say that, you make me feel old," Phoebe growled.

"You are old."

"I'm fifty-two."

"Phoebe you're fifty-seven!" Piper shouted in outrage.

"Fine but you're fifty-nine, so haha missy time," Phoebe teased, sticking her tongue out at her older sister.

"Grow up," she chuckled. Phoebe laughed as well and the two sighed as their giggles came to a halt.

"You think their ready?" Piper asked.

"The kids?"

"Yeah."

Phoebe moaned. "No," she mumbled. "I can't even keep my own daughters from wanting to kill each other. Some parenting job I've done, right?"

"You can only lead them so far. Besides, remember how messed up the three of us were before we became Charmed?" Piper assured.

"I guess you're right," Phoebe agreed softly. "I just wish I felt better about all this."

"I think we will . . . eventually. The kids will get the hang of it. Besides, we can't do this forever."


	2. If the Fates Allow : Segment 2

"Oh wow, a . . . lavender dress shirt," Chris said forcing a smile.

"Trust me, it is so your color," Lila told her cousin. She held an icepack to her bruising cheek as she sat on the sofa between Kate and Wyatt. Laura sat opposite of her on the other couch with Melinda and Sam while Lucy and Chris sat contentedly on the floor by the tree. Leo had insisted on cleaning up the dishes while the rest of them opened presents in the living room.

The family gift exchange was much tenser than other years to say the least. Every once in awhile Laura and Lila would exchange sour looks, reminding each other that even with the forced truce they still despised one another.

"Well, thanks," Chris mumbled.

Sam snapped a photo of him as he discretely scowled at the gift once more. He stuck his tongue out at her. "Cute Chris," she teased. Despite the current crisis both Kate and Sam had put up a strong front for the holiday. They had spent the past two days sobbing with one another and were not willing to drag everyone else's Christmas down with them. They would shed fake enthusiasm and cheer so long as it meant no more talking about their mother's recent demise.

"I'm always cute," Chris grinned charmingly.

"Thanks again, for the camera Laura," Sam said.

"You're very welcome."

"Yeah, well, not all of us have a doctor's salary," Lila murmured.

"Lila…" Wyatt scolded her angrily.

"What? She's just showing off with all these presents," she hissed into his ear.

"What was that Lila?" Laura asked.

"Nothing," she answered. "Don't be so paranoid."

"Let's have someone open another gift!" Melinda cut in with enthusiasm. She handed Lucy a package. "Here, this is from me."

"Why thank you, Mel," Lucy grinned, eagerly ripping open the paper. In an instant she held up a book. "_How to Survive a Zombie Attack. _Mel you shouldn't have!"

"Just looking out for you."

"Yeah, well too bad they don't have a _How to Survive Bitchy Sisters _handbook," Lucy snorted.

"Lucy, not funny," Sam said.

"Oh, come on that was funny."

"Mel, from me to you," Laura said, handing her cousin a present.

With great care and appreciation Melinda slowly peeled away the wrapping paper, a grin spreading across her face when she recognized an espresso machine. "Laura it's perfect! Thank you," Mel grinned enthusiastically. Lila kept her arms folded tightly across her chest, her glare still prominent and unmoving. Melinda gave her a smile. "Lila isn't it great? We were just talking about wanting one for the apartment."

"Yeah, it's great . . ." she mumbled bitterly.

"Okay, I can't take this anymore," Laura growled, rising from her seat on the couch.

"Laura - - -"

"No, Wy, I'm not going to sit through this if Lila is just going to ridicule me the entire time. I can't do anything right," she ranted as she gathered her wool coat and keys.

"Fine, make me look like the bad guy!" Lila yelled.

"You've done that yourself," Laura snapped as she stomped angrily for the front door. "Merry Christmas!"

The door rattled shut with her exit and Wyatt gave a long sigh, running hands through his honey blonde hair. "I'll go talk to her," he muttered. In the past twenty or so years of his life he had become accustom to the role of everyone's big brother. He was the leader of the family whether it was demon battles or sibling squabbles.

"I'll go with you," Sam offered, rising from the couch and following him out.

"Nice job," Chris taunted Lila, grabbing her into a headlock and messing up her hair with a noogie.

"Let go!" she pouted angrily pushing him away. She folded her arms across her chest and flopped back on the cushions. "This isn't my fault."

"Never is," Lucy said, tilting her head to the side.

"Peanut, I swear to God - - -"

"All right, we've already alienated one sister, lets not burn the other," Kate warned Lila. She grabbed Lucy off the couch. "Come on; let's go help uncle Leo with dishes."

"Why would we want to do that?" Lucy grumbled as Kate dragged her away.

Melinda waited patiently until Kate and Lucy had left the room before turning to face her cousin, arms folded across her chest. "What?" Lila groaned.

"You know what. What the hell is wrong with you and Laura?"

"You know what's wrong," Lila said.

"The two of you haven't stopped fighting since . . ." Chris paused. He looked to his younger sister for help. "When were they not fighting again? In fact were they ever not fighting?"

"Your mom and uncle Coop separated almost twelve years ago, Lila. I know you tend to hold grudges but - - -"

"Mel, you don't know what you're talking about," she told her. Her voice cracked with emotion and in an instant she was warm with fresh anger and frustration. "It's not about mom and dad. I mean, some of it is, but it's not just that. Laura abandoned us and I'm the only one who seems to remember that."

"She didn't abandon you," Chris said gently.

"She chose her dream job over this family. She decided that saving innocents and everything that the Halliwells have worked so hard to preserve didn't matter the moment she had mom bind her powers," Lila growled.

"She's saving innocents in a different way, Ly," Melinda reasoned. "That's what Halliwells are all about. Helping people and saving lives and that is exactly what Laura does everyday at the hospital."

"She still deserted part of her heritage. Part of _our family _heritage. Doesn't that bother you at all?" Lila argued.

"Doesn't what bother me?" Phoebe asked as she descended the stairs, Piper in tow. Melinda, Chris, and Lila slowly exchanged looks. Before anyone could answer, Piper broke in.

"Where'd everyone go?" she asked, scanning the empty front hall. Her gaze settled back on her children and niece. "What's been going on down here?"

"I was just about to ask the same thing," Leo said exiting from the kitchen. Kate and Lucy followed him, joining the rest of the family, with masks of doom. No one wanted to start the show of fireworks with news that Lila had driven Laura out of the house.

"I'm feeling guilt from all of you," Phoebe warned sternly.

"No fair mom," Lucy groaned, melodramatically throwing her head back. It was one of the true difficulties that came with having an empath as a mother. There was no getting away with anything under Phoebe Halliwell's rule, making a sometimes thorny childhood and adolescence for her three daughters.

"Who's going to fess up?" Piper asked, taking on her own motherly persona. She may not have been an empath but her parenting skills were just up to par with her sister's despite a lack of power. Leo came up beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her temple as she waited for someone to break the quiet.

The front door swung open, interrupting the interrogation session and marking the re-entrance of Wyatt, Sam, and Laura. "Wyatt, I'm ordering you to orb me home right now," Laura was hissing as the trio entered the front hall.

"Where have you three been?" Phoebe asked.

"Laura was trying to get out of here," Sam answered.

"The roads are too icy to drive though," Wyatt added.

"Which is why someone is going to orb me home . . ." Laura said as she approached Chris. She wrapped her arm around his. "Okay, ready? Good, lets go - - -"

"Christopher Perry Halliwell, don't even think about orbing," Piper growled at her son.

"Aunt Piper," Laura groaned. She let go of Chris and drifted her gaze to her other orbing cousin.

"Oh, do not look at me," Kate said quickly.

"Sure would be nice to have your powers now, wouldn't it?" Lila quipped. Laura shot her an icy glare.

"No, this is great," Phoebe spoke up enthusiastically. She grabbed Laura by the hand and yanked Lila toward her with the other. "Because Lila is going to teleport us back home."

"What?" Lila and Laura asked in unison.

"You heard me," their mother answered. "We, and by that I mean all four of us, will be spending Christmas together."

"Mom - - -"

"No, I won't hear any of it," Phoebe barked. "Lucy, I see you, come back here!"

"So, I take this as your so long and Merry Christmas?" Piper asked her sister.

"Yes and I apologize for cutting it so short," she answered. She looked to the twins, her eyes suddenly filled with compassion. "Oh, no; Sam, Kate, you are completely welcome to come and stay the night."

The twins exchanged knowing looks. Both suppressed smirks, well aware that a night at Phoebe's house with Laura, Lila, and Lucy would provide more misery than comfort. "That's okay, aunt Phoebe," Kate nodded, with a snort.

Sam nudged her sister in warning before nodding in agreement. "We were planning on going back to . . . back to the house to go through a few things together," she said. Kate lowered her head at the idea, knowing that as soon as they left the manor they would be forced to face the true grief that came with their mother's passing. There was no avoiding what had to be done. The funeral was to be the next afternoon and the only way they would ever have closure was if they went through every piece that was their mother. And that meant going back to their childhood home. Going back through the boxes of photos and letters. Back through the rooms where they had laughed and ate dinner together and grown and practiced magic. Rooms where they had been scolded and cried. Rooms that were only their mother, only their childhood, and the happiest memories they currently retained.

"Are you sure you two want to do that tonight?" Piper asked in gentle concern. She placed a hand on the small of Sam's back as she asked the question, wanting nothing more than to squeeze her namesake close and comfort her sister's daughters as she knew Paige would have done for her children.

"We can go with you," Phoebe offered.

"No," Kate spoke up. "It's something we need to do alone."

"What about Joey?"

"He doesn't need to be there," Sam whispered.

Kate nodded in agreement. Their baby brother had always seemed too fragile for the world. It was in the nature of the entire family to protect the youngest Halliwell and with the death of Paige everyone seemed to be concerned about his well-being. Tonight his elder sisters would shield him from whatever came their way.

The room had gone quiet and Kate quickly cleared her throat. "You guys should go," she insisted with an agonizing smile.

"No, really we shouldn't," Lucy grumbled under her breath.

"Okay . . . well, we'll see you tomorrow," Phoebe said, her voice cracking with sentiment and tears. She immediately threw an arm around each of Paige's daughters. Daughters painfully similar to the sister she missed so much. With great difficult she suppressed the sobs that were straining to be released and squeezed the twins close for comfort.

The rest of the family quickly exchanged embraces, holding one another for a small moment of Christmas joy and familial love. And when everyone had nearly hugged everyone, Phoebe quickly locked back onto her daughters' hands. "Okay, let's go home, shall we?" she said forcing cheer.

"I'm blaming this on you, you know," Laura told Lila with a groan.

"Oh, come on are you kidding me?! You were the one who - - -"

"Hey!" Phoebe yelled, interrupting the two of them. Both girls went silent, anger plaguing their faces. "It's going to be a long night."

"Yeah, we may be burying more than one body tomorrow, right?" Kate chuckled. The family all went silent, eyes wide with shock.

"Well, on that note . . ." Lila mumbled awkwardly, before fading in a swirl of pink and taking her sisters and mother with her.

"I feel like I just aided and abetted a murder," Chris muttered.

"Yeah, we should not have let those four leave together," Wyatt agreed.

"Stop it you two," Piper said.

"We better get going as well," Kate told her aunt with a sigh.

"We'll tell you if we hear from Joey," Sam assured.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Piper asked them worriedly. The two sisters nodded in unison. Their resilience made their aunt warm with something of pride. The girls were Halliwells that was certain. In fact they possessed strength so similar to their mother that for a moment Piper winced in pain at the memories.

"We'll be okay aunt Piper," Sam said as the two shared an embrace.

"Well, you know where to find us if you need anything," she replied warmly. When Sam pulled away, Piper affectionately tucked a lock of loose raven hair behind her hair and patted the side of her cheek. She then grabbed Kate into a hug, desperate for one more touch of the girl that was the one piece of Paige she had left.

"Merry Christmas," Sam told Chris as they released from an embrace.

"Merry Christmas," he smiled back.

"Have you finished the eulogy?" she asked him.

Chris' warm face fell for a short instant as he remembered the somber task that had been placed in his hands. He had been avoiding the writing of his aunt's eulogy for the past two days and now as the hours ticked away his stomach became twisted with agony and grief. He bit on his lower lip to suppress the cries that wanted to escape and nodded his head. "It'll be ready for tomorrow," he told his cousin, his voice cracking with slight emotion.

Sam's eyes shined with tears as Kate grabbed her hand and the pair looked to the remaining Halliwells. "We'll see you at the funeral," Kate said flatly.

The twins were absorbed by a swirl of blue orbs and with their exit, only five remained. Melinda bowed her head in silence and her father wrapped a tender arm around her slender form. Piper sighed, pushing her wavy brown hair away from her face. She watched as the family, her family, was suddenly overcome by reality and her heart melted with sorrow. Wyatt leaned back against the wall, completely exhausted by drained emotions and a hard day at the restaurant. Chris plopped down on the steps and buried his head into his hands. Tears silently fell from Melinda's chocolate eyes as Leo held her.

She thought about saying something. She thought of pepping them up. Of telling them to stop sinking into self-pity and to be strong like the Halliwells they were. But she couldn't. She couldn't give them all a boisterous and uplifting talk like she had so many other times in their lives. This was different. This was absolutely crushing. And her children, her beautiful, intelligent, and resilient children, were no longer overreacting teenagers or scared learners of the craft. They were adults and on that Christmas they deserved to mourn.

Piper settled down on the step next to Chris and rested her head on his broad shoulder. Her usually rigid and unemotional son softened at her gesture, immediately adjusting and wrapping a tender arm around her, his cheek pressing onto the top of her head. No matter how stubborn he remained, no matter how often he tried to deny it, he was still his mother's son. It made her smile slightly to think that she could still break through his cold front.

"Do you think she'll come back?" Melinda asked hoarsely, sniffling sadly as she rested against her father's chest. Wyatt came up behind her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, already knowing the painful answer. "I mean, it's happened before right? Remember at Chris' fourteenth birthday party and mom died but then she came back and . . ."

"It's not like that this time honey," Leo whispered to his daughter. He loved Melinda more than life itself, always remembering her as his tiny little girl even now as she stood at twenty-four years old. It broke his heart to tell her the disappointing truth.

"But what about the spells in the Book? Or a summoning? Can we call a lost witch?"

"Mom and aunt Phoebe tried that all night yesterday. We all did," Chris croaked darkly. "It's done Mel. Paige is dead."

Melinda quietly bowed her head, more tears slipping away. She hated the fact that she remained the family baby. That she could be so naïve and immature but at the same token she could not help but hope and ask the obvious questions. She could not help but crumble in her weakness. In the days that had passed her power of empathy had nearly torn her apart. Every pain of every family member ripped through her soul and she could no longer take the sadness. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked, looking up to meet the eyes of her mother.

"Of course, sweetie," Piper answered.

* * *

The girls landed with a thud, wobbling onto unsteady legs as they became accustomed to the firm ground floor. "Nice landing," Lucy coughed out cynically as she steadied herself with the aid of the nearby armchair.

Phoebe silently slipped off her jacket, tossing it onto the velvet sofa. Her heels clicked along the hardwood floor as she headed for the backroom. "Don't leave yet, Lila. I have something for you!" she called behind her.

The middle Halliwell gave a discreet sigh, slowly trudging about the spotless living room and carefully lowering herself onto the sofa cushions. The coffee table was decorated with Siddhartha statues, vanilla candles, and a copy of her mother's best-selling novel; _Finding Love. _"Too bad that didn't last…" Lila softly to herself.

Behind her Laura silently scanned the home, her double breasted pea-coat still wrapped tightly around her as she analyzed every piece of the room. Her mother had kept the house up to date for the most part, causing it to change often as far as furniture and arrangements went. Still many parts of it were just as she had remembered. Hung to the cream colored living room wall was a collage of photos, all framed in sterling silver. Each of the girls' baby pictures were in the collaboration, all round and smiling with large coffee eyes. All of their senior photos were up as well and a picture of Laura at her graduation from John Hopkins University; her mother, father, and two younger sisters at her sides. Her grandmother Patricia and great-grandmother Penelope each had a framed portrait on the wall along with a picture of her mother and two aunts, Piper and Paige. Laura was a little shocked however as she came across the photograph of her mother and father at their wedding, wondering how Phoebe didn't find it to be a slap in the face every time she saw it. Finally in the center was a picture of Laura, Lila, and Lucy, together and smiling; a memory of a time that seemed very far away.

Lucy gave a heavy sigh as she jumped onto the couch across from Lila and plopped her feet up on the coffee table, putting hands behind her head. "Where'd you go?" Laura asked her.

"Had to make sure mom hadn't turned my room into an office," Lucy answered. "Or worse; a gym."

Lila rose impatiently from the sofa. "I need to get out of here," she mumbled.

Phoebe appeared back in the living room, a nervous smirk etched into her face. She gave Lucy a warning glare. "Feet off the table," she ordered. Lucy sighed as she obeyed her mother's command.

"Mom, I'm leaving," Lila announced. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Actually, you're going to stay here. I said we'd spend Christmas night together, remember?"

Lila rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous. You can't make me stay here," she whined.

"Funny you say that . . ." Phoebe said mischievously. She pulled her hand out from behind her back, revealing a shining vial filled to the rim with bright yellow liquid. She tossed it at Lila's feet, watching as a golden gas circled about her middle daughter once the glass shattered.

"Mom! What the hell did you just do?" Lila yelled in outrage.

"Don't worry. It's just a little something I used to use on you and your sister when you were young."

"You used to use potions on us?" Laura asked with wide eyes.

"Well, just when you started to teleport where your father and I couldn't find you."

"You took away my ability to teleport!" Lila screamed.

"Temporarily," Phoebe replied evenly. Lucy gave an amused laugh from the couch as she watched Lila twist her face in concentration and try to teleport out. When nothing happened her eyes went wild with rage.

"Why are you doing this?!" Lila yelled.

"Gees, turn down the volume," Lucy growled, pushing hands over her ears at her sister's high pitched shriek.

"I'm doing this because we're going to fix what's wrong with the three of you, understand? And we're going to do it tonight," Phoebe replied. "Now, sit down. All of you."

Laura complied without pause, taking a seat next to Lucy on the couch across from Phoebe. Left standing, Lila gave a pout before thumping down at her mother's side.

"Are you going to make us share beds too?" Lucy asked anxiously.

"Don't be a smart ass," Laura told her youngest sister. She could see the seriousness in her mother's eyes. She could feel the somber vibe that had settled in the room and suddenly she felt no reason to avoid it any longer. Suddenly there was no reason to run from the family. The time had come for them all to face what they had turned from: each other.

"Your aunt Paige is dead," Phoebe announced composed. The three girls were taken back by the bland and obvious statement, expecting more of a reprimand than her calm monotone. "My sister is dead."

Phoebe took a moment to lock her eyes on the face of each of her daughters. In Laura she saw strength, wisdom, and autonomy. Her eldest was a natural leader and born with abilities and characteristics that Phoebe had admired in her own older sister, Piper. In Lila she saw so much of herself that sometimes it was excruciating. She saw energy, passion, dedication, and raw power but she lacked control. And lastly there was Lucy. In her youngest daughter she saw a combination of traits that were affluent in both Laura and Lila. She saw honesty, composure, creativity, and adaptability. They were different but so much the same.

"I don't want to talk about what happened tonight," she continued. More surprise discreetly marked the faces of her daughters. "I don't want to talk about binding Laura's powers. I don't want to talk about my separation from your father. In fact, I don't want to talk about the past at all."

Lila dropped her head at her mother's words, nervously twiddling her thumbs. Laura's eyes filled with guilt as they locked onto her mother's. Phoebe only continued with emotion in her words. "I loved my sisters. I still do. And when . . . when Prue died I was devastated. I was devastated because I hadn't taken the time to appreciate her until the last three years of her life. And now that your aunt Paige is dead it still hurts to lose another sister."

She paused for a beat, gathering her poise with a brief breath. "I don't want any of you three to not know what your aunt Paige and your aunt Piper and aunt Prue and I had. I don't want you to resent each other or forget what it means to be sisters because that bond is greater than anything you could ever have," she told them. She grabbed Lila's hand with her own and gave it a tender squeeze. "Don't have any regrets, okay? Make this better while you can."

In silence Phoebe pressed a kiss to Lila's forehead before rising from the couch. "I'm going to bed," she announced merrily. She eagerly grabbed the sides of Lucy's face and placed a juicy kiss on the top of her head. Then she turned to Laura, caressing the side of her face and pressed a kiss to her cheek as well. "I _will _see you all in the morning."

"Good-night mom," the three managed as Phoebe glided away. The sisters sat in complete silence with their mother's exit. Lucy finally sat up.

"Well, I'm glad I don't have anything to feel guilty about," she announced gleefully. She sauntered away toward the kitchen. "Anyone up for ice cream?"

"Me," Laura and Lila replied in unison. Phoebe listened in the hall, a small smile stroked across her mouth.

* * *

"You guys really don't have to go," Piper told her sons with a sigh. The two boys gave wide grins at their mother's pleas. They had grown immensely in the past twenty years, now standing tall and broad with muscle and handsome features. They were beyond what their mother could have imagined with their intelligence, charisma, and manners. She was proud to call them _her boys. _

"Nah, I'm not really into sharing the old bedroom with Chris anytime soon," Wyatt smiled. He swooped his mother into a hug with his sturdy arms, holding her in close.

"We'll be back for breakfast," Chris said.

"Would I ever see you if it weren't for food?" Piper asked with a chuckle.

"Eh, maybe," Chris shrugged teasingly. He gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and Melinda a hug before standing back with Wyatt. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Merry Christmas," Leo told them.

"Merry Christmas," they grinned back before orbing out.

"Well, I'm going to make some hot chocolate," Melinda announced tiredly.

"I'll help," Leo said, wrapping an arm around her as the two headed for the kitchen. Piper remained in the front hall, giving a sigh in slight relief and exhaustion, hands on her hips as she glanced around the room. She had been cooking all day long and the day before had been busy with grief and sadness. All she needed now was a good rest in the arms of her husband in order to recharge for the expectedly emotional funeral the next morning.

Before she could make her way for the kitchen a heavy knock thumped against the door and she froze. Giving a slight groan she ran a hand down her face. "Who could that be?" she grumbled bitterly. Another impatient knock sounded and she growled, "Coming!"

In one fast motion she pulled open the door, her heart freezing when she saw who stood on the other side. "Are you Piper Halliwell?"

"Yes. What's going on?" she asked breathlessly, a hand on her chest. The two men stood in full police uniform, hats dripping from rain that had begun to fall and badges glimmering from the shine of the porch light. Between them stood a young man that she suddenly came to recognize and her fear only increased.

"We found him at _O'Malley's. _He got in a fight with a few guys down there," one of the officers answered sadly.

"We would have taken him in and booked him but we know he's Henry Mitchell's boy," the other added.

"We're really sorry about your sister. Paige was a special lady."

A knot swelled in Piper's stomach and throat as she forced a nod. "Thank you," she said.

"He's free to go," the officer told her. They nudged him forward and Piper quickly pulled him into her possession as if he were a small child.

"Thank you again," Piper said graciously.

"It's the least we could do," he nodded. "Have a Merry Christmas."

"You too," she replied. She watched as they made their way down the front steps and carefully closed the door. When she turned the youngest Halliwell remained frozen in guilt, dripping wet and bruised.

Henry Joseph Mitchell Jr. was Paige and Henry Sr.'s youngest child and only son. The twenty-one year old was a spitting image of his father with close cut auburn hair and happy chocolate eyes. Affectionately called "Joey" to avoid confusion with his father, he had taken Henry's protective nature, compassion, patience, and ambition. Also inherited from his father however was a mortal foundation; he was the only Halliwell born without powers.

"I'm sorry aunt Piper," he murmured almost inaudibly.

"Don't," she insisted, grabbing him into an embrace. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I don't know what I was thinking," Joey continued guiltily. He shook his head as he and Piper released from their hug, the tears building behind his eyes. "I just got so upset and I didn't know what to do or where to go and I didn't want to . . ."

"Hush," Piper cut him off softly. She wrapped an arm around his wet shoulders. "Come on, we'll talk about it later. Let's just get you warm and dry."

She carefully led him toward the living room where they settled down together on the couch. Piper grabbed the nearby throw blanket and wrapped it around his damp back. His head remained bowed in shame, hair completely soaked with rain. Piper gently placed a hand under his chin, raising his face carefully to meet her own. "Let me see you," she whispered soothingly. A purple blotch had formed around his left eye and another cut was present along his jaw line on the other side of his swollen face. "Oh, Joe . . ."

"It's my own fault," he chuckled embarrassedly looking away. Piper could see the layer of tears forming across his brown eyes as they moved from hers. "I just miss her, you know?"

"Yeah," Piper whispered, swallowing down a sob.

"I mean first dad and now . . . now she's gone too," he broke at the words, the thick tears escaping without pause. Piper scooted closer, wrapping arms around his large body. His head rested against her chest as she held him and it only made him cry more for he was suddenly reminded of his mother. He shook with each sob as she stroked his soft head, clinging helplessly to her as if he were a small boy.

Melinda stopped at the entryway, leaning against the wall for support as she fought tears. Leo came in behind her, his voice quiet in her ear, "What's going on?"

"We found Joey," she answered.

* * *

The living room was filled with boxes and hidden among the high fortress of cardboard, she plowed through the mementos and photos. There were her mother's favorite books, her father's old movies, her brother's toy trucks and policeman costume. There were faded school projects, shining trophies, and birthday cards.

"We can't take all of it," Sam mused desolately as she ran her fingers along a worn basketball. In thick black ink, JOEY MITCHELL was written across it.

"Remember this?" Kate asked, popping out from behind a stack of boxes. She held a dusty acoustic guitar.

"How could I forget with all your late night jam sessions?" her sister answered. "It was the most pain I've ever put my ears through. Minus that time you mixed a handful of cypress with mandrake root and it exploded right in my face."

Kate ignored her, shaking her head in awe. "I can't believe mom kept this."

"She kept a lot of things," Sam sighed gently. "Maybe we should have waited for Joey. He might have had an idea on where to start with all this . . ."

"We'll just have to be sensible," Kate said. "I mean we can't keep all the materialistic stuff. We can just donate all the DVDs, CDs, books, and . . ."

"Pictures?" she added. She raised a framed photograph above her head and Kate quickly moved to join her. Present in the picture were Sam and Kate, each flanked at their mother's sides. Paige's luscious brown locks rolled down her creamy white shoulders, her shimmering eyes behind a pair of glasses as she kept an arm around each daughter. In front of Kate was Joey, his russet hair unkempt, his frame still gangly, and his height standing many inches below his elder sisters. Behind the group of four stood Henry, his brown hair touched with shades of gray but a wide smile on his face as he posed with his family.

"This is the last photo we took with dad in it," Kate observed. "I think that was their anniversary."

"What were we? Seventeen then?"

"Yeah. Joey was twelve," she answered. Sam rested her head on Kate's shoulder.

"I miss dad. I miss both of them . . ."

"At least they're together now," Kate whispered. "And we still have each other."

"I guess you're right," Sam agreed.

Nine years ago they had lost Henry. Nine years ago a part of their mother had been buried with their father, and while Paige had carried on with resilience for her children they were well aware of the pain that had scorched her with the passing of her lover. In some sickening way Paige had always blamed herself for the loss of Henry. She blamed herself for not being there in time. For not healing him before he could pass over. Because the fact was that no fireballs or demons had taken Henry Mitchell like their mother had feared for so many years. His life had been taken by a rogue parolee who had finally snapped and no amulet could stop the bullets. No vanquishing spell could stop the shooter and no potion could bring him back. In the end Henry had been a mortal and he died as one as well.

"I just wish I could have stopped it," Sam murmured with a cry. "I saw it happen. Both times I knew and still I couldn't stop it."

"You can't make every premonition not come true," Kate assured her. "Remember, mom always told us to never blame ourselves?"

"Easy for you to say," she sobbed in response.

"You don't think I regret not healing mom at the manor? You don't think that I replay that moment every second in my head? It's not fair at all Sam but we have to keep going. That's what this family does. That's what mom did. I'm not going to let this hold me back and I'm not going to let it hold you back either, okay?"

Sam sniffled as she nodded her head. "You sound just like her, you know?" she whispered. "You're brave like her."

"Yeah, well you deprive yourself of credit. You're pretty strong too," Kate said. She scanned the room of boxes and groaned. "Come on, lets try to get some of this sorted out before tomorrow."

"What about that?" Sam spoke up distantly, her finger pointed off across the room. Kate's eyes wondered to where her sister gazed and settled on the sparkling Christmas tree. Still nestled beneath the green Douglas fir were packages wrapped in silver and red, complete with bright bows, all addressed to members of the family.

"Lets . . . lets worry about that later," Kate answered breathlessly. Behind them the phone gave a loud ring and the two jumped at the sudden noise. Kate moved swiftly to pull the phone from its cradle. "Hello?"

Sam watched as her sister nodded in worry, asked questions, and finally bid goodbye. As the phone dropped down onto another box, she nervously wrung her hands together. "Who was that?"

"Aunt Piper," Kate replied.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. They found Joey," she answered. "The cops brought him to the manor. I guess he started a bar fight at O'Malley's."

"Oh no."

"He's going to stay there tonight."

"That's probably for the best," Sam sighed. She ran a pair of frustrated hands down her face. "It's like everything and everyone is just crashing down."

"Don't talk like that yet," Kate replied. "There's still plenty of room for tragedy and with this family I'm sure it will strike just when we least expect it."

* * *

"You guys are hogging all the ice cream," Lila complained, spoon in hand. Her two sisters sat on the couch opposite her, a carton of cookies and cream between them. Laura only continued to dig out more of the cold dessert and Lucy gave her older sister a taunting smile. Lila rolled her eyes, "Fine," she pouted before getting off the sofa and squeezing in between her two sisters on the other. She pulled the container out of Lucy's hands and merrily scooped out a spoonful.

"No worries; I was totally done," Lucy muttered sarcastically.

"Hey, Lila," Laura began carefully, pulling the spoon out of her mouth. She settled her hazel eyes on her younger sister, her face soft with remorse and consideration. "I want to apologize. I'm sorry for hitting you. It was out of line and I regret it."

Lila paused her eating, swallowing down the current bite and locking eyes onto her sister. "It's okay. I kind of deserved it anyway. I shouldn't have said what I did about aunt Paige . . . that was . . . awful."

Laura nodded before awkwardness soon settled in. "I'm sorry you feel like you do, Lila," she said. "But I'm not going to change. I like my life the way it is. I had to make a decision that was right for me and being a doctor, well, that's my dream."

"I know it is. But it's still going to take me some time to accept your decision. I just . . . I just don't know if I will ever understand. I just can't forgive what you did because . . . because when you rejected your powers it's like you rejected being my sister."

"But Li - - -"

"Don't Laura, okay? Just give me some more time. I'm not going to fake my feelings because it will make things easier."

"Yeah, God forbid we don't know how Lila feels," Lucy said as she took another spoonful of ice cream.

"And God forbid we don't know exactly what is on your mind peanut," Lila snapped.

"Quit calling me peanut!" Lucy growled. "I am so sick of being ignored in this family. It's always about you and Laura. You and Laura get in a fight. Laura goes to medical school, you get dad's ring; what's Lucy going to do? Oh no one knows!"

"You are so over dramatic!"

"I am so dramatic?!"

"That's what I said, isn't it?!" Lila shouted.

"Hey, you guys stop!" Laura bellowed. Her two sisters fell silent. She swallowed down hard, regaining her composure. "Did you completely forget what mom just talked to us about? Or what aunt Piper said back at the manor? Now isn't the time to fight with each other . . . That doesn't mean that we have to agree one everything. It doesn't mean we have to be nice to each other. It doesn't even mean that we have to like each other . . . but the fighting stops here. We act like family starting now, because mom and aunt Piper and aunt Paige don't deserve this."

"You're right," Lila murmured. Lucy gave a meek nod.

"So we have a truce?" Laura asked.

"We have a truce," Lucy answered, offering her hand in front of Lila. Laura grabbed onto it in a shake. The two looked slowly to Lila. The middle sister stared at the pair of hands before her, pondering for a moment in silence.

"Come on, Lila . . ." Laura encouraged.

"Fine," she whispered, intertwining her hand with her sisters'.

The lights above them dimmed and flickered off. The floor rocked in an abnormal quake and the ceiling rattled above. The three sisters jumped closer, Lila giving a screech in alarm.

"I'll go check the breaker," Laura said over the noise, releasing her sisters' hands and moving from the couch. The shaking stopped just as her feet hit the floor, the lights glowing back on steadily.

"What the fuck was that?" Lucy hissed.

"Probably just a small earth quake," Laura reasoned. "This is California after all."

"Or maybe it was a power surge or - - -"

"Not everything is related to magic," Laura told Lila.

"I would argue with you but since we just made a truce, I'm just going to go to bed instead," she replied. Lila rose from the couch, arms folded across her chest as she stomped away. "Good night!"

"Night," Laura and Lucy said in unison.

"Bitch," Lucy added on. Laura smacked her arm.

"So, my room isn't a gym, right?"

"Oh no, even worse. Mom turned it into the potions room," Lucy smiled as she stretched on the sofa.

"You've got to be kidding me," Laura groaned.

"I know, irony at its greatest, right?" she grinned. Lucy patted her sister on the shoulder as she left. "Have fun sleeping on the couch."

* * *

The manor was silent. The lights were out. The tree was bare of all gifts. The stockings empty. Leftovers crowded the refrigerator and stillness filled the halls.

Piper carefully pulled the thick comforter up to the chin of her nephew, tucking the warm blanket around his tiered body. Joey slept soundly in the soft bed that had once belonged to his elder cousin Wyatt; though it seemed that even in his rest he could not find a true escape from his grief. He murmured restlessly in his dreams, whimpering ever so quietly in the darkness. Piper tenderly brushed a piece of his dark hair behind his ear, pressing a warm kiss to the top of his head.

She silently glided out, her steps quiet against the wooden floorboards. She clicked off the lamp with her exit, gently shutting the door behind her. Memories of a life that seemed ages ago flourished through her mind. She could see Wyatt and Chris, tucked carefully away in their bunk beds. She remembered their late night forts and imaginative games. She remembered getting woken up on Sunday mornings to make pancakes. She remembered comforting them after nightmares. She remembered playing dolls and dress up with Melinda. She remembered patching up her knees and dresses after a hard day of keeping up with her brothers.

But now her children were grown.

And part of her felt empty.

She paused at Melinda's door, peaking in through the narrow crack to see the lump of blankets moving soundly in sleep. Her heart ached slightly, knowing better than anyone how much pain her daughter had been enduring in the past days. As an empath Melinda seemed to be too compassionate and kind for her own good and it hurt Piper to know she couldn't help her. More than that she knew that deep down, her daughter resented her life as a witch just as she had for so many years.

With a careful sigh, Piper retreated down the hall to the bedroom she shared with Leo, her ever loyal, ever caring husband. She quietly pushed open the door, cautious not to wake him. As she glanced up her efforts went unneeded as she saw him lounging peacefully on the bed, a book in hand and reading glasses on the bridge of his nose. "You're still awake," she said softly.

"Of course," he answered easily. She should have known after so many years that he would wait up for her. With all they had been through together their devotion and love for one another only seemed to increase. Piper of course still doubted that she deserved Leo who had relished in the role of loyal husband and dedicated father. He had raised their sons to be gentlemen, their daughter to accept her destiny, and supported Piper in every hardship and doubt that she had. As far as Piper was concerned Leo may not have had whitelighter wings any longer but he was still an angel.

She slowly walked the distance to the bed, settling down on the mattress with appreciation in her fatigue. Leo wrapped an arm around her and she rested her wary head against his broad chest. "How is everyone?" he asked.

"Okay. Both Melinda and Joe are asleep," Piper yawned.

"What about you?" Leo asked tenderly.

"What about me?"

"How are you?"

Piper nestled further against his warm body and closed her eyes as she spoke. "I'm tiered. I can't remember the last time I was so tiered," she whispered. "And I miss Paige . . ."

Leo pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Me too," he replied hoarsely. Quiet tears rolled from Piper's eyes and Leo's faded with a stinging red color. "You're doing great, honey. I'm . . . I'm proud of you."

"What are you talking about?" she whimpered.

"You're being strong for this family when they need you most," he answered. He lowered his lips closer to her ear. "But you don't need to be strong for me, okay?"

A soft sob escaped her at his comforting words and she squeezed on closer to him. Leo carefully caressed her, granting the ideal amount of comfort she was so desperate for. After several years of marriage he seemed to know exactly what she need and when she needed it; even when she didn't. "I love you," he told her.

"I love you too," Piper murmured.


	3. If the Fates Allow : Segment 3

"_Demon!" _

_Melinda's scream echoes loudly from the sunroom and for a moment everyone is rendered motionless. As expected, Piper is the first one to spring into action, sprinting toward the place of attack with readiness. She turns back to the two in the dining room. "Leo get dad out of here!" _

_There are six demons in the sunroom. Upper-level more than likely for they all are in human form but wield fireballs and have at this point fought through Melinda's freeze. Phoebe begins to go toe to toe with one of them, slamming a foot into his chest and sending him skidding to the ground. Piper blows him to pieces as she slides to a halt inside the room. _

_A fireball speeds at Sam's face but she puts up a hand, deflecting it back toward the demon who had the courage to throw it at her. Joey is trying ever so desperately to get out of the room, but a fireball flies across the way and slams into him. It bounces off his chest and he remains unharmed, silently thanking the forces above for the blessed amulet that has always seemed to protect him from demonic dangers._

"_Lucy!" _

_Piper's cry grips Lucy's attention and she recognizes a demon at her back. She slams an elbow into his face and turns, kicking him in the groin. He gasps in pain and she gives a slight laugh before slamming a fist into his face. She steps away, allowing her aunt Piper to blow him into pieces. _

_As their numbers dwindle, four more demons shimmer into the sunroom and things become more tense. "Wyatt!" Melinda bellows desperately. Beside her a fireball flies but Phoebe taps into the demon's power with her empathy and sends it flying back. "Chris! Wyatt!" _

_But the brothers don't come. _

_Powerless Laura crouches in a hiding spot behind the couch, shuddering with each fireball that flies past. She sees Sam kill another with her power of deflection and takes it as a chance to make an escape. Quickly steadying herself back onto her feet, Laura sprints for the front hall, dodging fireballs as she goes. One comes too close for comfort and on instinct Laura throws up her hands. The flaming ball freezes inches from her face and her mouth drops in surprise. _

"_Piper!" Phoebe barks at her sister across the room. Piper is helpless against the fireball that is flying at her back. She hits the deck at Phoebe's warning and the flame soars over her and through the wall._

"_Kate!" Melinda yells as she throws another punch. There are more demons then Halliwells and they can only hang on so much longer. The demon catches one of Melinda's kicks and tosses her into the nearby chairs. She groans in pain._

"_Kids upstairs!" Piper orders them to retreat and suddenly they realize how bad things have become. No one listens however because they are adults now and they fight their own battles. _

_Sam moves fiercely, the frustration and passion clear on her face. As the fireballs fly at her she sends them back. It is as if she is releasing all pain as she battles and within seconds three demons are destroyed at her force. _

_Melinda and Lucy stand back to back, one freezing the other throwing kicks and punches. Joey scrambles along the floor, sliding behind an overturned couch._

"_Where the fuck are they?!" Lucy yells over the noise. _

_No one answers for they are too focused. The demons numbers are at five when a fresh demon enters behind Phoebe. He throws her with his telekinesis and she slams into the nearby table, immediately rendered unconscious and limp. "Mom!" Laura shouts. _

_Piper begins working faster with the falling of her sister, exploding demons as quickly as she can move, Sam beside her, deflecting oncoming attacks from their adversaries. Melinda trips a demon down to his back and Lucy smashes his face with her foot. He grabs her next strike in mid-air and snaps her ankle. She cries out in curses and pain, crumpling to the floor as Piper kills him. _

_She watches as another fireball flies at her aunt and with little time to think Piper throws up her hands. The room lights up with explosion and fire and force moves in every direction. _

_And all they see is blackness. _

Lucy bolted up in bed her chest heaving unsteadily and sweat dampening her warm face. Her heart raced as she recognized reality, trying her best to sort out what had happened in her terrifying dream. She was twisted in the pale blue covers of her bed, locks of red hair stuck to the back of her neck. A loud knock slammed on the door and she jumped at the noise.

"Lucy! Lucy wake up we need to get going!" Phoebe was calling on the other side. Lucy moaned in annoyance, flopping back down onto her pillow and covering her ears with the cushions. "Don't make me come in there!"

The door pushed open not long after the threat and Phoebe stomped in, already dressed and prepared for the funeral. She glided across Lucy's bedroom, flinging open the curtains of the window. Then with care but firmness she shook her youngest daughter's shoulder.

"Wake up sleepy," she said.

"Do I have to?" Lucy groaned.

"Yes," Phoebe answered. "We need to be ready for the car in an hour."

"Great so I still have forty minutes of good sleep . . ."

"Peanut . . ." she warned. "I expect to see you ready in thirty minutes."

"Sure," Lucy murmured, listening as Phoebe's footsteps began toward the door. She suddenly sat up before her mother could leave. "Wait, mom . . ."

"Yeah, honey?" she asked. Lucy paused for a beat, analyzing her next words carefully. She wondered hesitantly if she should tell her mother of the premonition like dream. Common sense told her yes but her emotions screamed no. The last thing her mother needed to sit through at Paige's funeral was fear of a demon attack. Of course as she got older Lucy's premonitions had seemed to become more accurate and elaborate much like the nightmare that had haunted her that morning. She bit on her lower lip.

She decided on telling her later.

"Uh . . . do we have any Lucky Charms?"

Phoebe gave a snicker. "Of course. I stocked up when I realized you were coming back home."

She gave a smile, "Thanks, you're the best."

"I know," Phoebe grinned. "Now get dressed."

* * *

Wyatt Halliwell slowly clasped the last buttons of his black dress shirt, straightening the collar and adjusting his sleeves. He brushed through his dark blonde locks, finishing the task with a few touches of gel. Carefully he rubbed on some cologne before trudging out of the bathroom and entering the living room.

Six year earlier Wyatt and Chris had bought the large and lavish pent house apartment on the top floor of the new Bay View Towers. The two bedroom, two bathroom complex was in the heart of San Francisco, with a large wall of windows that gave a perfect view of the clear blue Pacific and shining Golden Gate Bridge. The pent house was their pride and joy, a complete bachelor pad that remained well decorated and spacious.

His spotless dress shoes clicked on the hardwood floors as he entered the dining room where Chris sat at the small square table. He was hunched over his work, a pen in hand, cold coffee at his side. Wyatt leaned over the bar in the kitchen and watched his brother for a moment. "Still working on the eulogy?"

"Yeah," Chris murmured anxiously. He ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair, frustration plaguing his face. "I don't even know why aunt Paige would have wanted me to eulogize her. She knows I hate speaking in front of people . . ."

Wyatt gave a smirk. "You'll do fine."

"Coming from the guy who was senior class president and a member of the speech and debate team," he replied bitterly.

"Well, maybe this is aunt Paige's way of getting one last joke in," Wyatt suggested sarcastically.

"That was so not what I needed right now," Chris muttered as he went back to his work, scribbling onto his notepad.

It wasn't a rarity to see Chris busy at the kitchen table. He was an ambitious and sometimes monetary driven worker, which was of great use when it came to running both P3 and the _Triquetra_. Chris managed the finances of both businesses, tallying gains and losses, investing, and keeping the books. He did all the numbers, all the selling, and all the buying. He silently dreamed of one day making a Halliwell chain of eateries throughout the San Francisco area. Wyatt always teased that as head chef he was the talent and Chris was the brains. Chris would line up the critics and garner attention while Wyatt would earn the stars. It was a good two man partnership that had worked excellently for the past seven years.

Wyatt slowly paced around the large living room. It was decorated simply with a long black leather couch and two matching chairs. A flat screen television marked one wall and wide windows on the other. The latest copy of the Bay Mirror was on the table, the page opened to an article by Samantha Mitchell. A few takeout boxes from the _Triquetra _were also cluttered on the smooth glass coffee table.

"Will you read what I have so far?" Chris asked behind him, rising from the table in exhaustion. Wyatt had a feeling his brother hadn't gotten much sleep, too stressed over the eulogy to rest.

"Sure," he replied taking the inky pieces of notebook paper from him. His almond eyes slowly devoured the words while Chris laced up his black dress shoes. He wore a white collared shirt and dark tie, a slight contrast to his elder brother who wore all black.

Chris hated funerals; of course he couldn't think of anyone who actually liked them. The last burial he had attended had been that of his favorite uncle Henry. To think of burying Paige made his lip quiver with oncoming sobs. He had lived in denial of the passing of his aunt, convincing himself that she was busy with a charge or off at magic school. Unfortunately reality was beginning to hit and with each minute closer to the funeral his stomach twisted tighter and the tears became harder to hold back.

"It's good Chris," Wyatt spoke up, grabbing his attention. "It's really good."

"I was thinking of adding some more but . . ."

"No, it's perfect. It's from the heart," his elder brother assured him. He patted Chris on the back as he handed it back to him. "You okay man?"

"I'm fine," Chris answered hoarsely. They shared a brief hug, a sort of man embrace that consisted of a clap on the back and a quick release. Chris sniffled and folded up the pieces of paper, tucking them into the inside pocket of his dress jacket.

"I sealed off a few vials this morning," Wyatt said changing the subject. "We can leave as soon as the funeral is done. I figured we could grab the crystals from the attic before we go to the cemetery."

"Good," Chris replied. "Lila said she was going to get a few things from Phoebe's place too."

"You sure we should bring her?"

"Yeah, she'll just end up coming anyway."

"Good point," Wyatt nodded. "I just hope we don't get too carried away. I'm worried that . . . that as soon as I see the bastard who did this I might just lose it."

"That makes two of us."

* * *

"Piper? Honey?! Have you seen my shoes?!"

"No!" she shouted back. The house was in complete chaos after waking an hour behind schedule, leaving everyone to scramble for clothes and food. Melinda and Joey were in the bathroom, placing finishing touches on their wardrobes.

"Please don't . . ." Joey pleaded hopelessly.

"It's just a little cover up," she reasoned.

"It's not necessary," he sighed.

"Have you seen your face? That bruise is horrible," Melinda told him. She ran the soft brush against his skin and he squirmed away.

"Come on, Mel," he begged. "It makes me look tough."

She chuckled. Melinda was one of many Halliwells guilty of "feminizing" her youngest cousin as Henry Sr. used to say. Joey had spent his childhood chased by his elder cousins and sisters, the victim of make-up sessions and princess dress-up. He always claimed that Wyatt and Chris had it easy as the eldest boys, leaving Joey to fend for himself under the control of crazy female cousins.

"Fine, at least let me fix your tie," Melinda sighed in staged disappointment. She gave a grin as she slowly began to adjust and knot the satin tie around his neck, remembering fondly when her father had taught her how to fix it just right. She remembered how she had helped Wyatt and Chris get ready before prom and homecoming dances. She remembered sadly how no father had taught Joey the same and how no mother would tie it for him again. "There. Finito!"

"Grazie," Joey grinned, hopping down from the bathroom counter. Italian had become the family's second language, despite how poorly and how little most of them spoke it. The craze had come about with the _Triquetra's _Italiano cuisine menu as well as Chris and Sam's whitelighter charges from Italy. Now in shame and for good humor the family made a point to spat the few words they knew whenever the chance presented itself.

"Anyone home?!"

Chris' voice rang loud and clear from the floor below and Melinda and Joey quickly bounded down to meet him and Wyatt.

"Why don't I smell breakfast?" Chris asked anxiously.

"Because we woke up an hour late. No pancakes, sorry," Melinda replied.

"Of all the days . . ." he groaned, stomping off into the sunroom.

"What is his deal?" Melinda asked.

"He's just nervous about presenting the eulogy," Wyatt replied.

"Shut up!" Chris shouted from the other room.

Wyatt shook his head before settling full attention on Joey. "I'm glad you found your way home," he said wholeheartedly. "But what happened man?"

"I got in a fight . . ."

"Seriously?" Wyatt laughed in slight admiration.

Joey nodded proudly. "Yeah, you think this eye is bad, you should see the other guys."

"Guys?"

"Yeah there were three of them. A bunch of frat assholes from the University."

"All right, kid! I hope you kicked - - -"

"Don't encourage him," Melinda sighed, brushing past the pair. She could hear the two exchanging more details about the brawl as she strode into the kitchen where suddenly orbing in before her were Sam and Kate, clad in black funeral wear. "Hey."

"Hey, where the hell are the pancakes?" Kate asked in outrage as she scanned the room.

"We woke up a little behind schedule. You can join Chris in the sunroom to mope about it though," Melinda chuckled.

"I might just take you up on that offer," she muttered.

"Where's Joey?" Sam asked, seeming more concerned about her younger brother than lack of breakfast. Melinda gave a sympathetic smile, noticing the complete worry in her cousin's voice.

"He's with Wyatt in the living room," she answered.

"Good, we need to go talk to him," Sam said.

"_We _need to go talk to him?" Kate asked.

"Yes! He's our baby brother who got in a bar brawl last night because he doesn't know how to cope with our mother's death. What part of that does not seem like a good reason to go talk to him?" Sam countered.

Kate groaned, "Can't you just do it?"

"No. Besides, you're the oldest."

"Just by forty-two minutes."

"Oh now it's _just _forty-two minutes? How convenient because yesterday when we were dividing up mom's things it was _an entire _forty-two minutes . . ."

"Okay, okay, let's just go get this over with," Kate sighed. "He better not cry."

"Kate!"

"What? I'm not good with this crying, comforting, death stuff. Besides, I'm already in a bad mood; I didn't get my pancakes . . ."

"Oh, I was under the impression that mom's funeral had you in a bad mood. Glad to know that it was just your lack of breakfast," Sam said cynically as they sauntered out with Melinda behind them. They found the boys, Wyatt, Chris, and Joey, in the living room, the television glowing with highlights on Sportscenter. All of them were silent in their focus and Melinda, Sam, and Kate shared confused looks.

"Are you kidding me? We're supposed to be getting ready for a funeral people," Kate cried out, grabbing their attention.

"What?" Chris asked. "Aunt Paige would want us to continue our live normally. Isn't that right?"

Kate smacked a hand across the back of his head and he whined in pain. Sam gave a gasp in the meantime as she spotted her brother's swollen eye. "Joey! Your face!"

"I've been saying that for years," Chris teased.

"It's not that bad," Joey sighed as Sam took his head into her hands and began examining him closer.

"You could have had a concussion or worse. We should get Laura to take a look at you later."

"Not necessary. It's a black eye, Sam. Nothing fatal," he reasoned.

"That's beside the point," she murmured somberly. Their matching brown eyes locked seriously onto one another's and Melinda cleared her throat.

"Wyatt, Chris, come on," she said, nudging them off the couch. "Mom will want to make sure you two were able to dress yourselves properly."

"That was one time," Wyatt joked as Chris followed after him. The two were well aware of what needed to take place between their cousins but would put on a charade of being clueless to make the atmosphere more comfortable.

"You better spill it Junior," Kate said, folding arms across her chest as she sat on the armrest of the couch. Sam took a spot next to their brother on the sofa, waiting patiently for his response.

"I hate when you call me Junior," Joey mumbled.

"Joey . . ."

"I had a few drinks at _O'Malley's," _he explained honestly.

"How'd you start a fight?"

"I hustled a few dumb frat boys at the pool table. They wouldn't pay up . . . so things got a little physical," Joey confessed.

"That's not like you," Sam said. "You wouldn't hurt a fly."

"That's what you think," he told her forcing a chuckle.

"Why didn't you just come home? Why didn't you come to Christmas dinner? Chris and I spent all evening looking for you," Kate pressed gently.

Joey held back for a pause, his eyes falling to the floor. "I . . . I just needed to be alone, Kate," he whispered.

"But we're here for you, Joe. We're here for each other," Sam told him. "You did the same thing when dad died - - -"

"Don't talk about dad," he hissed darkly. Tears clouded his russet eyes.

"We lost them too you know," Kate said. "We understand how you feel because we feel - - -"

"I was twelve years old when he died," Joey choked out suddenly. "Twelve. I remember that's why mom started calling me Joey . . . because it hurt to bad to call me Henry. When you guys were off at college, I could hear her cry at night. And as I got older she couldn't look at me sometimes because I looked like him."

"Mom loved you," Kate whispered.

"We were supposed to be able to depend on dad. I was supposed to be able to depend on dad. He was the one mortal in this family who could really understand how I felt. He was my ally in all the magic. And then he was gone," he said weakly. "It's a boy's job to protect his mother but she was always protecting me. I've always been the family burden . . . and when she . . . when she died I didn't even have the ability to save her. I didn't even have the tools to fight in her defense. I just had to sit back and watch her die just like I sat back all the other times when things went wrong."

Kate and Sam said no more. Instead they each found a place at Joey's sides and wrapped him into affectionate arms. The three Matthews-Mitchell children stayed huddled close on the sofa, embracing to soothe their sorrow and doubts. There were a dozen things to be said, a thousand reassurances to be repeated, and a million condolences to be heard, but in truth their close moment, wrapped tightly in a hug, said all that needed to be said and more.

And behind them in spirit, Paige watched and gave a sad smile.

* * *

Lila hovered anxiously over the warm pan of sizzling green liquid, glancing to the cracked door every few minutes to insure that neither her mother nor sisters had caught onto her plans. She had become determined in the past days to break even with those who had taken her aunt's life, thirsting more than ever for a demonic spar. Hastily she gathered the empty glass vials from the cupboard, giving the potion one last stir before carefully distributing it into each container. She sealed the bottles with small pieces of cork, moving quickly in order to avoid exposure.

"Hey, Lila, whatcha doing?"

"Peanut!" Lila gasped out as she spun around in complete shock. One thing she despised about her younger sister was her uncanny ability to sneak. Lucy managed to quietly appear at the most crucial of times, a stealth aura always about her. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," she sighed half-heartedly. Lila worried that Lucy had uncovered her secret plot but in reality her sister seemed distracted and preoccupied. She ran a hand through her dark reddish-brown hair. "You see, I had a dream this morning and I'm afraid that it might have been a premonition but I can't be sure because . . ."

"Listen, Louis, now really isn't the time, okay?" Lila cut in. Louis was another name adopted by the youngest of the sisters, and one she loathed nearly as much as 'peanut.'

Lucy gave a scowl. "This is life or death here, okay?"

"Well, then go talk to mom," she replied, nudging her toward the door. Lucy dug her heels into the ground as her elder sister pushed her, grabbing firmly onto the door frame.

"You can't do this! I'm not a baby anymore! And what are you doing in here anyway?!"

The door slammed shut inches from Lucy's face and she gave a bitter growl, kicking the wooden barrier before stomping off. In the kitchen Laura sat at the dining room table, steaming black coffee in one hand and the Bay Mirror in the other. Lucy rolled her eyes, bitterly moving for the cupboard and yanking out a fresh box of Lucky Charms. She angrily poured the cereal into a clean bowl.

"What's with you?" Laura asked as Lucy slammed her breakfast onto the table and slid into a chair.

"Lila just kicked me out of the potions room - - -"

"You mean _my_ room," Laura reminded her sullenly.

"Whatever. She kicked me out like I was five freaking years old again! I think she's up to no good in there anyway. All I wanted was her advice on . . ." Lucy's voice trailed off for a moment.

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"No, what is it? Maybe I can help," Laura suggested, putting aside her paper and coffee. Though she was often gone at the hospital or avoiding her family all together Laura still took pride in being the oldest sister. Something inside her still longed to lead and be the one both Lila and Lucy looked up to and most importantly came to.

"I doubt that," Lucy grumbled stuffing a spoonful of marshmallows into her mouth. When she swallowed she found Laura was still watching in patience and sighed, wiping her lips on her sleeve. "Its magic related."

Laura's mouth dropped for a beat but she quickly recovered, determined to prove her worth as an older sibling. "I can handle it. You and Lila always seem to forget that I was a witch for twenty-four years. Magic is still something I'm familiar with."

"I guess that's true . . ." she nodded.

"So spill it. What's going on?"

"I had a dream this morning. It was like a premonition but longer. It felt real just like my visions usually do but I've never had one in my dreams and never one with so much detail," Lucy explained, swirling rainbows and balloons with her spoon.

"What happened?"

"We were at the manor and a group of demons started attacking. We were all in our clothes from the funeral," she began. "You were there. And so were mom and aunt Piper and uncle Leo and grandpa Vic. Melinda, Joey, and Sam were there too."

"Did you recognize the demons?"

"No, not really," Lucy answered. "We started fighting them and then . . ."

Laura glanced behind her as Lucy's words stopped and her gaze widened. Phoebe entered from the hall behind them, placing the finishing touches on her wardrobe with a pair of earrings. "Morning girls," she greeted merrily. A whirlwind of childhood remembrances flourished through both their minds. Images of their days at middle and high school appeared, Phoebe on her way to the Bay Mirror, Coop fading out to help a charge. Surprisingly not much had changed since then. Coop was gone, Phoebe was dressing on her way down the hall, Lucy was still eating Lucky Charms, and the sisters still seemed to be fighting or angry about something.

"Morning mom," Laura and Lucy said in unison.

Phoebe poured herself a cup of coffee as she spoke, "Where's your sister?"

"In the potions room," Lucy answered bitterly.

"What is she doing in there?" Phoebe asked her voice turning somber. She whipped around to face both girls who sat in perplexity.

"Don't look at me, I'm still trying to figure out why you turned _my_ room into a Witchcraft R' Us," Laura replied before taking a long drink of coffee.

"Laura, I'm sorry about your room, we'll discuss it later but Lucy I know that you know something so spill it," Phoebe spoke quickly and matter of factly, eyes narrowing on her youngest.

"Smelled like she was boiling a potion before she kicked me out," Lucy told her.

"I knew it," Phoebe hissed. She turned to leave the kitchen but paused as a knock echoed from the front door. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she remembered the detail she had neglected to share. With haste she made her way toward the door, adjusting her fading chocolate locks as she went. Laura and Lucy watched in confusion as she paused at the mirror, giving one final look over to her makeup and hair. Then with one calming inhale of air, Phoebe pulled open the door.

"Hey," grinned a familiar face on the other side.

"Hi," she smiled back.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Laura hissed as she watched from the table.

"Why does everyone always assume I know something?" Lucy asked.

Twelve years ago Phoebe and Coop had agreed to separate. Neither wanted to deal with the messiness of divorce, and considering that they had been married by the Angel of Destiny, they had skipped the formalities and quietly gone their separate ways. The Cupid still continued to be a presence in his daughter's lives of course and throughout the several years, both he and Phoebe had kept a cordial relationship.

Now as Coop stood in the doorway of the home he had once raised his daughters and loved his wife in, it seemed as though things were just as smooth as they had been prior to a dreary divorce. The beaming Cupid was still as handsome as he had been when he had taken vows with Phoebe, his skin a smooth tan and his hair dark and silky. He stood tall, towering large over his former wife and daughters.

"I'm so sorry, Phoebe," he whispered gently. With the tenderness he was known for Coop held her in an embrace and for a moment she felt like breaking. The tears stung her caramel eyes and she relaxed in his familiar hold. Her head rested on his firm chest, her nostrils tickled by his memorable scent. And in the brief instant of emotion and breaking, Phoebe realized how much she had needed him. She pulled away, trying to rid herself of the idea.

"Sorry," she apologized wiping away her tears.

"Don't," Coop murmured soothingly, wiping away another drop from her cheek. He forced a smile. "It's going to be okay."

"Yeah," Phoebe agreed quietly. She grabbed him by the hand, leading him toward the kitchen. "The girls are all here."

Coop's face brightened at her words and upon seeing his daughters his charismatic grin grew larger. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey, dad," Lucy said with a mouthful. She dropped her spoon to the table and he scooped her into a hug. Her feet dangled about a foot from the ground as her father held her in the embrace, closing his eyes in happiness. "Dude, I'm getting lightheaded up here."

"I didn't know you were coming home," Coop told her as he set her down. His gaze landed on Laura who forced a friendly smile. "I didn't know you would be here either, ladybug."

As much as Laura seemed to disapprove of her father, she still loved him immensely. While he had disappointed her in many aspects of her life, his tenderness, kindness, and affection was not one of them. It was hard enough to stay mad at him, or at least try to keep her distance, but as he called her ladybug as if she were still his baby girl, her heart melted.

"I've missed you," Coop confessed as the two shared a hug.

"I've been busy," Laura replied impassively.

"Yeah, how are things going at the hospital?" he asked at their release.

If anyone seemed to dislike Laura's choice to become a doctor it would have to be Coop. Even after his separation from Phoebe he had counted on his eldest daughter to take on the family legacy of being a Cupid. But following her graduation from high school Laura defied him. Coop had proudly bestowed upon her his ring, one that had been in his family for centuries, and Laura had boldly given it back. Still as a supportive father he had gone to her graduation from medical school and retained interest in all she did, even if it broke his heart.

"Fine I guess," she replied. "I'm working in the ER now."

Coop looked to Phoebe for confirmation. "That's a good thing right?" he murmured. His former wife gave a nod as she suppressed a grin at his lack of knowledge. "Well, congratulations then."

"Thanks," Laura said.

"Dad," Lila happily exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. She quickly threw her arms around him for an embrace and smiled widely at their release. "Mom didn't tell us you were coming."

"Must have slipped mom's mind," Phoebe said. She anxiously looked to the clock and began gathering her purse and jacket. "In fact, we are supposed to be downstairs to meet the town car, so everyone lets move."

"Can't we just teleport there?" Lila asked with a groan.

"No, we can't just teleport there. It would defeat the purpose of a funeral procession," Phoebe replied rolling her eyes. She grinned at her daughters. "Now, you all look very cute. Lila, I love the blouse, is it new?"

"I bought it last week. And mom, your shoes are to die for," Lila said.

"Am I the only one who feels this is an inappropriate topic of conversation on our way to a funeral?" Lucy murmured to Laura and her father as they trailed behind.

"Not now, peanut," Coop chuckled.

* * *

When the town car rolled to a stop, the four silent passengers exchanged forlorn looks. For a moment their gaze was locked out the window where the cemetery awaited with its rolling green breasts of grassy hills and sparsely spread tombstones. The sky was a dreary charcoal. The wind was loud and powerful, manhandling the dried tree branches with its icy hands.

"So this is it," Kate mumbled to herself. Her eyes like large auburn marbles were glazed in disbelief and dry of all emotion.

"You ready?" Piper asked quietly. The hearse at the front of the procession had parked in front of them and preparations were being made to remove Paige's casket from the vehicle. Behind them Leo was with Wyatt, Chris, and Melinda in a second car and following them were several other vehicles.

The large procession had come from the local church. A quaint viewing of the casket and brief service by the minister had been held there. Now came the part however that remained all too real to bear and for a minute it seemed that turning back would be the best comfort.

"We're ready," Kate decided for her silent brother and sister. Piper gave her a nod and together they opened the doors of the car and slid out. Sam came next, adjusting her black scarf and wiping her eye make-up. She grabbed onto her aunt Piper's hand on instinct, desperate for reassurance and companionship in the grieving period. Lastly Joey hobbled out, loosening his tie and taking the free hand Piper offered. He resentfully counted down the minutes until the horrible show that was his mother's funeral would be over.

Even in the dim light the mahogany casket seemed to glow. As wind whipped through the mourning and coldness embraced them, the feeling of gloom and despair became even more affluent. Kate, Sam, and Joey sat close together in the front row. The twins held hands, their stare heavy and glassy on the coffin that held their mother. Joey's cheeks were blushed with sadness, damp with tears. Kate stayed on one side while Piper flanked his other, holding his hand with her own warm one. Phoebe was next to her, her head resting weakly on the shoulder of her sister as they watched the aging priest give a few final blessings.

Then before the service came to a close, eyes fell on Chris, who nervously stood before all of Paige's family and many friends. The leaf of paper shook in his left hand and he swallowed hard, olive eyes searching the crowded scene for a brief moment. He cleared his throat before carefully beginning.

"When people die, you spend a lot of time thinking," he started slowly. His eyes remained locked on his inky and hardly legible handwriting. "You think about how much you'll miss them. You think about how much you love them. And you think about their life. And you think about why and how. And once you sort through all that, you take a moment to think about yourself. You think about your life. You think about your death. And you think about all that will happen between where you are and where you will be. And you think about who you are and who you should be . . . or at least want to be."

Another gust of wind came up, sliding through his chocolate hair and stinging his emerald eyes. The emotion was swelling in his throat but he continued, straightening the paper against the breeze and glaring down at his words. "In my own reflection I've come to know who I want to be . . . or at least who I want to be like. I wish to one day be a fraction similar to the woman who was my aunt Paige. She was a person known for her generosity, her kindness, her courage, and her free spirit. She lived with spontaneity but admirable priorities. She was a devoted mother who taught her children to be safe and honorable citizens. She was a cherished wife who loved her husband with every fiber of her being until his death, only carrying on for the sake of her children. She was a loved and reliable sister, who stood by her siblings' sides in all hardship and adversity."

There were tears now in the eyes of the funeral goers. Phoebe and Piper came closer, squeezing hands and sniffling uncontrollably. Warm droplets of emotion rolled down Leo's cheeks in silence. Melinda desperately buried her head into Wyatt's arms as she was overcome by grievances from all parties of the funeral as well as her own sadness. The Matthews-Mitchell brood however watched their elder cousin in appreciation and sorrow.

"Paige dedicated her life to helping others. She worked as a social worker, a teacher, and a guide. She was a true protector of the innocent," he paused for a moment, giving a knowing smirk to his family. Piper and Phoebe both grinned at his discreet shout out. "She gave herself to others without ever losing part of herself. She embraced her family, supported her friends, and was there to carry those around her even with a heavy load of her own. To those who knew her, she was an angel. She gave us light in the darkest of times and made the best all the brighter. She gave us strength when we were weak and confidence when we were scared. Most of all she shared with us her love without conditions or limits. And she always gave us what we needed even when we didn't know we needed it."

Chris flipped to the last page of paper, not noticing tears now clung to his cheeks. Not realizing that he had forgotten of his stage fright. Unaware that he had forgotten of the people and the death. Completely clueless to the fact that he no longer read from his notes but spoke completely from his heart. "At twenty-eight years old, I am still deciding who I should be. I'm still discovering who I want to be. But I know, with complete certainty, that the person I should be like, the person we all should strive to be like, is Paige Matthews Mitchell. In this life we miss her, but I feel confident that a person filled with such goodness could only retire in a place equally as good. When my uncle Henry died, Paige lost her soul mate and I find comfort in the fact that they can reunite now in happiness and without boundaries. It is only expected that with the loss of Paige we find sadness in our hearts. But let us honor her passing by letting it inspire us to retain her resilience, her courage, and her goodness in all that we do from here forth."

Chris folded up the paper and gave the coffin a gentle touch. "I love you aunt Paige," he whispered, tears dripping down his chin. He shuffled carefully to join his family, but Piper was already on her feet and as soon as he was within reach sealed him in a tight hug. Chris melted in her arms, fresh drops squeezing out of his jade eyes.

"That was beautiful," she whispered to him, caressing the side of his face when he pulled back. Chris forced a gentle smile at his mother, sniffling once before retreating to Wyatt's side.

The rest of the funeral proceeded smoothly and uneventfully. Condolences were murmured. Hugs were shared. Slowly people clad in black made their way down the cemetery knoll, leaving only the Halliwells at the fresh gravesite. They watched in complete quiet as the coffin slowly lowered beneath the Earth. It would be the final journey for Paige.

When the casket hit the bottom of its new home, a silent closure came about. Phoebe carefully nodded her head as Coop stood behind her, large hands on her small shoulders. Leo and Piper stood hand in hand, leaning on one another with great desperation but with strength on their faces. Melinda rested against Chris and Wyatt kept a gentle arm around Laura. Lila cried silently with her grandfather Victor Bennett at her side, and while Lucy was never one for sentiment she grabbed her elder sister's hand somberly lowering her head.

"We're going to be okay," Sam whispered to her twin sister and younger brother who stood close together at the head of the burial sight. Kate nodded her head in agreement but Joey gave no acknowledgement of her words, instead stepping forward and crouching low to the ground. He carefully scooped up a handful of warm soil and in quiet solitude he released the brown particles onto his mother's casket. As he stood Joey gave his sisters an affirmative nod.

"We're okay," he agreed gently.

The twins and Joey were the first to depart, Piper behind them with Leo. Laura wiped her tears grabbing one of Victor's hands while Melinda took the other. The trio carefully descended the hill, leaving only a few lingering behind.

"I better go," Coop announced gently, his expressive eyes filled with compassion. He gave Phoebe one last soft hug. He ruffled the hair of his nephews, then squeezed Lila and Lucy in a simultaneous embrace.

"Bye, Coop," Phoebe sighed quietly.

"Bye," he whispered, tracing one finger down her cheek before fading away in a swirl of pink.

Phoebe gave the grave one last look over. The tombstone was placed between two others. One was Henry's and the other was Prue's. It seemed as though at least some of the family would stay together.

"Bye for now," she mumbled gently. She carefully turned on her heal, making one final exit. Lucy slowly followed after her mother. When Phoebe realized that her youngest was the only one who remained at her side, she froze, turning to face her two nephews and daughter. "You coming?"

Chris was known to be the family's slyest. He could drop a lie at the drop of a hat. It was a dark talent that came with his equally impressive ability to manipulate. It wasn't any wonder Piper's youngest son was notorious for pranks and troublemaking throughout his childhood. Now as Wyatt and Lila frozen like deer in the headlights, he stepped forward with his charisma and acting skills.

"Just need a little while longer," he said somberly. His face was a mask of tenderness and sorrow and Phoebe nearly broke at his demeanor. "We'll meet you back at the manor later."

Phoebe looked to Wyatt for confirmation, knowing that the eldest would unquestionably make sure all went okay. He nodded his head reassuringly and she gave a sad smile. "Okay, take your time, sweetie," she said, pressing a kiss to Chris' head. She gave Wyatt a hug and pecked Lila on the cheek.

When the pair departed the trio exchanged looks. "Nice save, Chris," Lila said. He nodded as she adjusted her black purse and shook the bag, revealing a light jingle. "I've got plenty of potions."

"I brought a few myself as well as mom's crystals," Wyatt said.

"Think she'll notice?" Lila asked.

"Well, we won't be gone long enough for them to even realize we've left," he replied. He looked to Chris. "Right?"

"Sure," he answered. "Let's just get going."

Before the group of three could leave a swirl of bright blue orbs interfered in their path. They stood frozen in surprise watching as the lights fell and a familiar face stared back at them. "Don't look so shocked," Kate said bluntly, cocking an eyebrow. "You really think I'm going to let you guys go down there without me?"

"How'd you know?" Lila asked.

"Don't need to be a telepath to figure you guys out," she replied. She cracked her knuckles and tied up her hair. "Besides, Paige was my mother. There's no way in hell I'm not going to have my hands in on this investigation."

"You don't have to sell me on the idea," Chris smirked.

Wyatt sighed running a hand through his hair. "This just seems to be becoming a worse plan as we go."

"Don't be so pessimistic," Lila moaned.

"Yeah, I thought you were supposed to be an optimist," Chris added.

"Well right now I'm starting to feel very realistic," Wyatt sighed. "Let's just be careful all right? No getting out of hand. Just a few questions, a few answers, and we're back home."

"Sure, whatever you say, Wy," Kate said.

In an instant the four disappeared in swirls of orbs and fading pink light not realizing that behind them a man with a long charcoal pea coat stepped out from his hiding spot, wind twisting through his thick black locks. He gave a slight smirk before quickly shimmering out to the Underworld, eager to deliver his latest message.

* * *

_thanks for the reviews, those of you who have left them :) i still appreciate feedback so if you're reading I would love to hear what you think. i know the chapters are long but they will be getting shorter as the background for the next episodes is set in place. thanks again! ~ sammy _


	4. If the Fates Allow : Segment 4

As seemed to be the norm lately, the manor was somber and quiet when Phoebe pushed open the front door, Lucy at her side. Melinda, Joey, and Sam were in the sunroom, speaking quietly as a bright glimmer of light tore through the windows. Phoebe gave a warm smile as she passed them before entering the dining room where her father, Victor, Leo, and Laura stood talking about lame current events to distract themselves from grief.

"Hey Pheebs," Leo greeted as Victor wrapped an arm around his youngest daughter, pulling her in close. The Halliwell patriarch had aged plenty in the past twenty years but remained as chipper and sardonic as he had been many decades before. He shuffled his steps a little more, complained of sore feet and an aching back, but still clung fast to the idea that it wasn't how old you were, it was how young you felt. Victor had been an excellent grandfather to all of his grandchildren, earning him much respect and fondness among the next generation. Yes, grandpa Vic was everyone's favorite. Even among Kate, Sam, and Joey, who may not have been his biological grandchildren but he treated just as affectionately.

"Tea anyone?" Piper spoke up, entering the dining room with a delicate tray of steaming hot liquid, matching saucers and cups, and warm pastries. She carefully set it down on the long table before Leo came up behind her, wrapping arms around her waist. Piper looked to Phoebe, "Where'd Coop go?"

"He left at the cemetery," Phoebe murmured sadly.

Piper gave her sister an empathetic glance. She knew better than anyone that in secret parts of her heart, which Phoebe dare not talk about, she still loved her former husband. She was also plenty aware that Coop still longed for Phoebe in more ways than one. In complete confidentiality since their separation the two had called each other late at night, met each other for coffee, and embraced a second longer than necessary; all to keep a "friendly" relationship for their children. Piper wondered when the two would stop trying to fool themselves and give into their true desires.

"What about the rest of the kids? Where are Wyatt and Chris?" Leo asked more alertly.

"They're with Lila," Phoebe answered slowly pouring herself a cup of tea. Lucy plopped down into a seat at the table, eagerly grabbing the flaky pastries that were powdered in sugar. Laura rolled her eyes at her youngest sister. "Chris seemed to be pretty broken about everything. He wanted a few more moments at the cemetery so Wyatt and Lila stayed behind with him."

Piper's face fell in sadness at the thought of her youngest in sorrow. His eulogy had been heartfelt and moving, one that made her proud to have him as a son. She should have realized how upset he truly was inside. "Kate left the car at the last minute as well," Piper revealed quietly. "She just needed another moment I guess."

"Hard to see the kids go through this," Victor spoke up in sadness.

"They'll be okay, dad," Phoebe assured him. "They are Halliwells."

As Lucy reached for another pastry she suddenly froze. The hair rose on the back of her neck and the adrenaline beneath her skin began burning with heat and urgency. She stiffened in her chair, glancing around at her surroundings, ears ringing so loudly that she could no longer hear the conversation between her family members. Only Laura seemed to realize that something was not right.

"What's wrong?" Laura whispered.

"It's happening," Lucy choked out, all the feelings from her early morning terror surfacing with vengeance. Cold sweat clung to the back of her neck and she glanced anxiously to her mother and aunt who seemed to be oblivious to the brewing war.

"I feel it too," Laura replied, though she was alarmed by her sudden ability to sense. She hadn't had a feeling such as the one that possessed her since before her powers had been bound. To distract herself she pulled the hair behind her ears and gave Lucy a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'll go warn the others . . ."

Lucy watched nervously as her eldest sister disappeared into the sunroom. The sensation now completely consumed her and she felt no reason to hide it. Something terrible was about to happen and she wouldn't let her family be caught off guard.

"Mom," she choked out. Phoebe's own stomach tensed at the sound of her daughter's voice. Lucy was known for composure and confidence. Her tone wavered with helplessness as she asked for her mother.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked.

"Demon!"

Melinda's terrified voice screamed through the manor followed by a heavy crash. At the sound of her youngest child's yell Piper bolted into motion, shouting over her shoulder as she went.

"Leo, get dad out of here!"

* * *

"You know something," his voice cooed gentle and low, making it all the darker. Wyatt crouched down in front of the trembling man, his hazel eyes narrowed on him in analysis. He patiently folded his hands together as he studied him.

"He's not going to talk, Wy," Chris growled bitterly. Sweat and grime stained his face. They had gone through a series of hopeful interrogations and in his frustration Chris had brutally beat or killed every one of them. His fierceness was admirable but also unnecessary. Wyatt scolded him for lacking control.

"Patience," Wyatt reminded his brother.

"What do you know of the Halliwells?" Lila asked as she circled the pair of demons they had cornered. He arms were folded tightly across her chest, a potion clenched in her palm.

"We had nothing to do with the murder of the witch!" one cried out, spit flying from his crusted lips. His black eyes were shrunk in fear and his left shoulder bled from a wound brought about by none other than Chris.

"We know that," Kate growled angrily. Her brow was narrowed in complete seriousness, hands on her hips as she stood behind Wyatt. Like Chris she seemed to be consumed by rage and a vendetta for revenge. If Wyatt came across as the good cop in these interrogations, Kate was certainly the bad one. "You know something! Tell us or we'll make this much worse."

"I say we just kill them," Chris said as he paced behind the group. His feet drug across the floor of gravel and ash. He bitterly threw out an arm, sending the quieter of the two demons into the stone wall.

"Chris stop it," Wyatt commanded flatly.

His brother paid him no mind, firmly securing an open hand around the demon's throat and pulling him from the ground. He smashed him against the wall, pinning him with angry strength and raw power. "Tell us what you know!" Chris barked at him. The demon squirmed, desperately attempting to pull himself from the shaking Halliwell.

"You'll never know," the wily demon hissed at him. He gave a twisted laugh before spitting on Chris's face. "Weak little witch!"

Chris bitterly dropped him to the ground and kicked his in the face. "I'll show you weak!" he shouted. He yanked a potion out of his pocket and waved it in his enemy's face.

"Chris, cut it out," Lila sighed. She was beginning to grow tiered of her cousin's methods. While she remained a hot-head herself and wanted revenge against the Underworld's dwellers she was also disciplined and precise in her hunting and investigating. She was a well-trained witch who took her priorities and goals completely serious, suppressing passion when necessary. Chris' actions were beginning to make her absolutely crazy.

Wyatt grabbed his brother from behind, yanking him away from the demon. "This is not what we're here for," he growled.

"We're here to get information," Chris reasoned darkly. "Information he won't give. It's only right."

"Chris!" Kate barked in warning as four demons shimmered into the cave. A fireball sped at the back of Chris' head and Wyatt shoved him aside simultaneously putting up his force field and blocking the fatal blow.

A bearded and filthy demon faced Kate, his clothes hardly rags on his grime crusted form. He hurled a fireball at the witch and she narrowed her brow in concentration, her heart racing with familiar adrenaline. "Fireball!" she called steadfastly. The flames were engulfed by orbs before they could touch her and in an instant she threw it back at her adversary, killing him instantly. She smiled in silent pride, hoping that somewhere her mother beamed with satisfaction at how Kate now wielded her power.

Wyatt easily threw up his hands, sending an energy blast through the cave at two of the three remaining demons. The enemies were quickly defeated at his advance, vanquishing without much of a challenge. Lila kicked the last demon in the chest, sending him flying across the cave. Then without difficulty she threw a stunning potion at him, garnering a second interrogation victim.

"Look what you did," Lila hissed at Chris.

"What I did?" he asked in offence.

"Yes you! Get control of yourself. You're making too much noise. You're going to get us killed down here!"

"Oh screw you," Chris growled.

"Don't even start with me, I swear I - - -"

"Shut up, both of you," Wyatt interfered in frustration. Behind the trio Kate had begun a fresh interrogation, determination swept across her heated face. She was astute with complete seriousness and strength, completely motivated to gather the information she needed about her mother.

"What do you know?" she asked the latest demon who remained stunned by Lila's potion.

"Nothing."

"You lie."

"I'm a demon," he chuckled back.

"I'll make this hurt," Kate said. "Last chance."

"I love pain."

"Swell," Kate grinned. Then her face narrowed as she lifted an arm. "Crystals," she called. "Circle."

The demon's face fell as the cage formed around him. Kate pulled a series of small potions from her dark funeral boots, lining them up on the ground in front of her. "Now . . . what do you know?"

"This is pointless! I will kill the rest of your family! Filthy half-breeds!"

"I'd like to see you try," Kate replied, throwing a potion at the cage. The demon screamed out in pain, an electric jolt going through his body. When he regained his breath he glared back at his adversary. Wyatt, Chris, and Lila stopped fighting, taking to silence in order to watch the interrogation. "Were you at the Manor when my mother was killed?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Kate grinned taking a large potion of her collection, this one a deep red. She chucked it at the cage, watching as an arm ripped off of the demon's body and his terrifying scream bounced off the walls. Dark blood soaked through his threads of clothes and he stumbled to the floor.

"Sweet potion," Lila grinned in admiration of her cousin.

"Were you at the Manor when my mother was killed?"

"No!" he whimpered, saliva streaming down his face. He held the nub, the last remain of his arm, and rocked back and forth in agony.

"Who was there?" Wyatt spoke up.

"I cannot tell."

"Really?" Lila asked, grabbing another potion. She threw it at the cage and another electric charge seized the demon.

"Stop!" he begged loudly. Steam rose from his mangled body as he remained limp.

"Tell us who did it!" Kate demanded.

"They will kill me!"

"We can take care of that ourselves," Chris growled.

"I'm sure you don't need your other arm," Kate threatened, swiping up a second scarlet potion.

"No!"

"Tell us!" she ordered.

"Stop!" the other scared demon behind them pleaded. Lila looked behind them in surprise. The same demon from before the attack shivered in pain and equal agony. She quickly grabbed him by the arm, dragging him across the floor and tossing him next to his caged ally.

"What kind of demon are you?" Chris asked.

"Just kill him," he replied in a croak.

"Who is doing this?!" Lila shouted.

"One of you needs to speak up," Wyatt said taking a knee in front of them.

Chris bitterly picked up another scarlet potion and threw it at the crystal cage. The demon screamed out in pain as his other limb ripped away from his body. He vomited on the cold rock floor, more blood expelling from his form. The demon next to the cage buried his head, not able to watch the disgusting interrogation.

"We are not our mothers!" Chris screamed. He kicked the demon to the floor. "We do things differently! Understand? They were too easy on you! And look what happened! We are the next generation and God forbid you think of crossing the Halliwells again! We're taking over and you ought to be absolutely fucking terrified! Because this is how things will be! This is how WE do business!"

"Tell us what we want to know," Kate barked, readying another vial.

"The Brotherhood!" the demon cried out helplessly.

"What?" Wyatt asked, his brow twisting in confusion.

"The Brotherhood! The Brotherhood of Thorn," the other confessed desperately.

"That doesn't exist anymore," Lila replied.

"It's back! And so is He."

* * *

"Piper!"

Fifty-nine year old Piper Halliwell slid across the sunroom floor, skin and bones slamming and skidding in one fast motion. The flames of a fireball warmed the back of her neck as they skimmed the unkempt pieces of her brown hair and continued into the wall.

Joey watched her anxiously from behind the overturned marble table, crouched in readiness and sweating with nerves. His heart raced beneath his chest as he observed the battle scene that took place outside of his spot of cover. All the chairs were overturned. A window was broken. People and fire and pieces of house all flew, booming and echoing without pause or hesitancy. Family members screamed at one another in the heat of battle, warning and pleading all at the same time. It was a chaotic ballet of violence and death. Hanging loosely from his neck was a stone amulet, imbedded with quartz crystals and jade rock. It was an amulet blessed by Piper, Phoebe, and Paige in order to protect the powerless Halliwell. It blocked fireballs, energy balls, telepathy, sensing, and mind powers. The only things Joey had to look out for were flying people, pieces of furniture, and the occasional telekinetic attack.

In the center of the room Lucy and Melinda stood back to back, both girls twisting and swinging with accuracy and effectiveness that had been harnessed in years of training and battling. Melinda blocked one of the demon's oncoming fists with her forearm, then twisted his limb with force and smashed a foot into his abdomen. At her back Lucy slammed a tight hand into a demon's face, then jumped into a state of levitation and kicked him across the room before dropping back down.

Two more demons shimmered in and immediately threw glowing fireballs toward the fighting Halliwells. Sam quickly deflected one of the flames, sending it back at its owner and killing him with fire. Next to her Laura tripped over, completely frazzled and confused. Sam nearly shouted at her to get out of the room but Laura instead squared off against a new demon. It had been years since she had been in battle. Years since she had had her powers. But now they were back.

With poor aim, Laura flicked up her hands, sending an explosion similar to her aunt Piper's toward the enemy. It was a few feet off aim but still slammed into half of the demon's body and dropped him to the ground. Sam's eyes widened on Laura in perplexity and her elder cousin shrugged. "I don't know what they're doing back either but might as well use them now!"

At that another fireball flew at the pair and Sam put up another hand, blocking it back toward the demon.

"Chris!" Lucy yelled toward the sky. She ducked below another fist and kicked the demon in the shin, still screaming desperately for her cousins. In every thinkable jam or battle someone, or at least one of the family's whitelighters, orbed in with backup. This time none of them, not Wyatt, Chris, or Kate appeared and suddenly the battle seemed to be taking a turn for tragedy. "Where the fuck are they?!"

Across the room Phoebe was pulled from her feet with a telekinetic blast, slamming into Joey's spot of cover and sliding into a motionless heap. "Mom!" Laura cried out.

"Kids upstairs! Go!" Piper screamed before exploding another demon. The numbers they faced were too large and powerful and the veteran witch knew things would get worse before they got better. It remained a poor sign that neither her sons nor niece were appearing when called. An order for retreat was their final option. "Get out of here! Go!"

No one listened to Piper and the battling continued. Sam orbed out of the way of a fireball and landed next to her aunt. As the orbs fell down around her another flame came her way and she quickly blocked it, killing the demon. Piper exploded one of the three fresh demons who shimmered in, sweat pouring down her worn face.

Joey crawled clumsily along the floor, tripping behind a couch and shuddering as he sat in cover. He watched as his aunt Phoebe moaned in agony while she came to. "Phoebe!" he called. "Phoebe get up! Wake up!"

She woke not a second to soon as a fireball came speeding toward her helpless form and in complete terror she rolled out of the way before it bounced off the table. Phoebe pounced onto her feet, completely rebounding from her fall. Two fireballs came at her direction and with her power of empathy she sent them back. But her heart solidified in terror as a familiar cry echoed in her ears.

Phoebe watched in horror as her youngest daughter collapsed to the ground in pain. Lucy rolled on the floor, grabbing a surely broken ankle. Phoebe quickly slid over to her side, blocking fireballs and enemies at a fast rate to protect her daughter.

Across the room a ball of flames caught Piper off guard, inches from her face as she turned. With little time she threw up her hands, and an explosion rocked the entire floor. The force from the eruption went in all direction, throwing demons from their feet and slamming Piper into the wall. Her shoulder wracked into the plaster, followed by her head. In an instant she fell unconscious.

For a moment everyone was rendered motionless. Their mouths dropped at the loss of Piper and echoing in Phoebe's mind was _not again. _Suddenly inspired with anger and fear, both Sam and Laura stepped forward. The eldest of Phoebe's three daughters began exploding demons at rapid speed, succumb with complete focus and determination. Phoebe watched her in awe and pride as she stayed knelt at Lucy's side. Sam moved with her cousin, kicking and deflecting with the precision and strength of a veteran.

Seeing that her cousins had the situation under control, Melinda slid across the floor on her knees, halting at her mother's side. Tears stung her eyes as she felt for a pulse and pulled Piper into her lap. "Mom . . ." she whimpered. "Wyatt?! Chris! Kate! Someone! Come hurry! Wyatt!"

Joey crawled across the floor, joining Melinda at Piper's side. She was in complete hysterics so he placed two fingers at his aunt's neck, checking for a beat. His heart fell in relief. "She's okay. Mel, there's a pulse, there's a pulse. It's okay!"

"What?"

"A pulse!"

Laura was completely enveloped in concentration, her heart speeding but her hands and body in control and moving fluidly. The adrenaline pumped evenly beneath her veins, her russet eyes narrowed on her enemies with complete clarity. She made no noise, no mistake, as she used her hands and powers with grace and effectiveness. Her breathing was controlled and her form still.

With one last flick of her hands she killed the last demon.

She scanned the room, Sam at her side, not even realizing that everything was silent and that all the enemies were gone until she could spot no more. She pulled in a calming breath, slowly resurfacing to her former self and slipping out of her battle mask. Sam stood at her back, doing the same as she recovered her breath and shook with slight fatigue. "Good job," she whispered to Laura, her eyes still locked on where she had killed her last demon.

"You too," Laura said despondently.

"Laura, honey . . ." Phoebe spoke up gently, sure to not startle her daughter. She recognized that she remained in attack mode, adrenaline still affluent and her mind and body completely alert. Laura's head snapped in her direction. "Laura, it's okay. It's done."

She swallowed and nodded. "Yeah," she breathed out in relief.

"I need you to go help your aunt Piper," Phoebe said calmly. Laura nodded, suddenly remembering that she was Dr. Halliwell.

"Ah it fucking hurts!" Lucy groaned, slipping in and out of awareness, her vision blurred and head pounding with pain.

"I know honey," Phoebe replied, dropping her stare back down to Lucy who lay with a broken leg.

"Where the hell are they?" she whimpered angrily.

"Kate!" Sam called loudly. "Kate!"

"What's going on Sam?" Joey asked worriedly.

"I don't know. But she's okay. She just can't hear us," Sam concluded. The bond between her and her sister was solid and beyond boundaries. As twins the two had developed near telepathic powers with one another. "I would know if she was hurt or dead."

"They're in the Underworld," Melinda spoke up, still at Piper's side as Laura examined her. "Chris and Lila were talking about it last night. I bet that's where they went."

"I knew it," Phoebe hissed in anger.

"So that's why no one is coming? They can't hear us?" Joey asked.

"It has to be," Sam nodded. "That or they're dead."

"We need to get her to the hospital," Laura decided as she felt along Piper's neck, checking for broken bones.

"No," Phoebe said.

"What? Why? Are you crazy?" Laura asked.

"They'll ask questions. What are we supposed to say? She was attacked by demons?" Phoebe asked.

"We'll wait for Wyatt and the others," Sam agreed.

"She'll die before they get here," Laura said bitterly. "Lucy needs to go too. I can't fix a broken ankle here."

"Laura you don't understand - - -"

"No! You don't understand," Laura snapped. "I'm the Dr. Halliwell here, okay?! This is life or death and I don't care if it was demonic or not, we call an ambulance now!"

"Laura Patricia, your aunts and I have been doing this for over thirty years and never have we depended on a mortal hospital. We will not expose this family by going to one now. That's how Piper would want it," Phoebe said firmly.

Laura's jaw stiffened and she grinded her back teeth together. "If she doesn't come to in five minutes we're calling an ambulance."

"Laura - - -"

"Stop it you two," groaned a familiar voice. Their gazes lowered to Piper who slowly blinked open her eyes. "You're making my head ache worse . . ."

"Thank God," Melinda whimpered, draping herself over Piper's tiered body. Her mother patted her head, giving her reassurance that all was well.

"Why am I not feeling a warm healing sensation?" Piper asked groggily.

"Because your sons, Kate, and my daughter are in the Underworld," Phoebe answered.

"I'm going to kill them," Piper threatened.

"Assuming they come back alive," Sam mumbled.

"Can someone help me?! I'm dying over here," Lucy growled in misery. Laura looked down at her aunt.

"Don't move, okay?" she instructed.

"Whatever you say doc," Piper grinned, slightly impressed to see her eldest niece in action. Laura slid to her youngest sister's side. Lucy laid against Phoebe who sat behind her, watching in concern as Laura carefully adjusted her leg for a better look.

"Fuck, easy there," Lucy hissed.

"Looks like you completely snapped your lateral malleolus and talocrural joint. You'll need an x-ray to see if you shattered anything else - - -"

"I need drugs," Lucy groaned. "Can you get me drugs?"

"No but the San Francisco Memorial can," Laura replied, putting a heavy gaze on her mother.

"I'm sure they'll be getting here anytime now," Phoebe reasoned.

"You won't have to file a police report. Just tell them that she slipped on some left over ice," Laura continued. "Besides, you want her sitting here waiting for a magical fix instead of getting immediate help?"

Phoebe gave a heavy sigh in distress, running a hand through her hair. She looked down to Lucy. "What do you want to do?"

"I just want the pain to stop," Lucy answered in a moan. She looked to her elder sister in desperation. "Promise they'll give me something?"

"They'll provide you with all the analgesics you need," Laura chuckled.

"The what?"

"Painkillers."

"Right, well let's go to the hospital Madre," Lucy decided quickly.

"I'll get you to the car," Sam offered as Laura and Phoebe helped her rise. As Lucy leaned on her cousin she looked to her sister.

"You're not coming doc?"

"No, I'm going to see what I can do for aunt Piper here," Laura answered.

"We'll see you later than," Phoebe said, though part of her still remained hesitant. Before Sam could orb her to the car, Laura grabbed her back.

"Hold on, I need to talk to you," she said.

"I'll meet you in a minute," Phoebe told Lucy and Sam. The pair swirled away in orbs and Laura's face grew pale and somber.

"Mom, why the hell do I have my powers back?" Laura asked.

"Honey, I don't know."

"Bullshit," she snapped in a low monotone. The rest of the family watched in expectation and worry. Laura leaned in closer to her mother, inches from her face. "Is this part of your little plan to bring us together? Whatever you think you're doing . . ."

"Laura, I didn't do this," Phoebe answered in complete honesty. "I cast no spells last night. I didn't unbind your powers and I wouldn't without your request. I've told you before that I respect your decision and I wouldn't go behind your back."

"Then what happened to me?" Laura asked, her voice cracking in fear. Phoebe placed a comforting hand on her arm, rubbing it in sympathy.

"I don't know. But I promise you when we get all that happened here sorted out, I will find out and we will fix this," she whispered. She placed a soft hand on her daughter's cheek. "It's going to be okay."

"Okay, mom," she cracked quietly in hopelessness.

Phoebe gave one last assuring smile before pulling away and glancing around the sunroom once more. "Is everyone else okay?"

"Dandy," Piper answered.

"You were right sis," Phoebe told her as she strode over, looking down at her in affection. "We are getting way too old for this stuff."

"Yeah, I'm sending in my resignation after Dr. Halliwell here fixes me and I kill my sons," Piper smiled. Phoebe chuckled before coming to a need for exit.

"I'll be back soon," she assured, giving Melinda a hug and patting Joey's head before leaving for her car. The sunroom fell silent and Laura gave a long sigh running a hand through her caramel locks. Melinda collapsed down on the ground in fatigue, laying on the cold granite floor and staring up at the ceiling. Joey leaned against the wall, slowly sliding to the ground in defeat.

"I am so sick of cleaning this sunroom," Piper groaned, breaking the quiet. Smiles spread across Laura, Joey, and Mel's faces as they glanced over at the wounded Halliwell who carefully sat up against her niece's orders. Laura was too tiered to scold her and instead shook her head, amazed that her aunt remained so durable and sanguine after so many years.

Joey ripped the tie away from his neck and slowly knelt down at his aunt's side. In silence and with great tenderness he wrapped the wound on her shoulder with the cloth as a temporary bandage. "I'll go grab the first aid kit," Melinda sighed, rising from the floor and walking over the broken glass and shards of plaster and wood.

"Get a broom instead," Piper called after her.

"Let's see, manor maintenance or aunt's health, which is more important?" Joey chuckled.

"Well when you put it like that . . ."

"Is it safe to come down?!" shouted Leo and Victor from the second floor.

"Never is!" Piper yelled back. "But you can come anyway!"

* * *

"A new Source . . ." Kate muttered as she shuffled with her cousins down the sidewalk, eyes squinted against the bright sun after a long hour of the darkness in the Underworld. "Is that even possible?"

"Anything is possible," Wyatt replied coolly.

"It makes no sense to me. Mom and aunt Phoebe and aunt Paige vanquished the Source for good," Chris growled. "I don't know how this happened."

"Maybe it's like the Triad," Lila suggested, running a hand through her now untamed hair. "You know, where it resurfaces after a period of time?"

"Makes perfect sense to me," Wyatt nodded.

"How did we let this happen?" Chris snapped angrily. If anyone would find a way to blame themselves for the reincarnation of the Source of All Evil, it would be Chris. He carried the weight of the world upon his shoulders even when no one needed him to. He was a glutton for punishment and self-loathing.

"No one let this happen, Chris," his elder brother assured him as they rounded the corner of Prescott Street. The manor was soon in view and instantly, a dark feeling swelled in Wyatt's stomach. His shoulders tensed and in a flash he began sprinting for his childhood home.

"Wyatt!" Kate called after him in anxiety. The trio exchanged looks before quickly running after him, roaming the sidewalks as if they were children once again.

Wyatt quickly pushed open the door, his heart racing in fear. "Mom?! Mel!" he called. His senses were like electricity warning him of danger and evil. In the Underworld however he must have missed the sign and now he feared he had been too late. He only grew more distressed when he took sight of the demolished sunroom.

"I'm going to kill you!" Melinda barked at him as he entered. She looked up from where she was sweeping broken glass and began beating her oldest brother with the broom as he came within reach. "You asshole! We - - - Could - - - Have - - - Died - - - Because - - - Of - - - You!"

She paused to smack him with the broom at every word, tears of anger in her eyes as she finished. "Mel stop!" Wyatt pleaded, half-chuckling, half disturbed as he shielded his face with his arms. Finally he heard the broom rattle to the floor and Melinda melted into his arms. He gently rocked his baby sister, hushing her as she clung onto him. "Shhh. Its okay now, Mel. It's okay . . ."

Chris, Sam, and Lila slid into the room, panting for breath and faces amassed with uncertainty as they watched Wyatt and Melinda. "What happened?" Lila asked with wide eyes.

"We were attacked," Melinda answered, wiping her tears while Wyatt kept an arm around her. "It was awful. There were so many of them. Mom told us to retreat. We kept calling for you but no one came."

Chris angrily kicked a piece of plaster across the floor, frustrated with himself beyond reason. He would kill whoever tried to hurt his family.

"Is everyone okay?" Kate asked worriedly, glancing around the room and finding it empty.

Melinda gave a slow nod. "Lucy broke her leg and didn't want to wait to be healed so Sam and Phoebe went to the hospital with her. Mom . . . mom got hit pretty bad."

Both Wyatt and Chris became rigid at her statement, fire in their eyes as they exchanged looks. It was one thing to attack a Halliwell, but to attack their mother was suicide. "I think she'll be okay," Melinda assured, realizing how intense her brothers had become. "She's in the kitchen with dad and grandpa Vic."

"Where's Joey?" Kate asked urgently, worried instantly for her powerless baby brother.

"He's okay. He just went out to the shed to grab a few tools," Melinda answered. "Hopefully we'll be able to salvage what's left of the sunroom."

"I'm sorry, Mel," Wyatt apologized gently, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It was stupid of us to go. We didn't even realize we had left you all without a healer . . ."

"So you were in the Underworld?" Melinda confirmed. They nodded. She sniffled, recovered from her release of emotion. "Find anything out about aunt Paige?"

"Too much," Kate replied direly. Melinda furrowed her brow in confusion.

"There's a new Source. And the Brotherhood of Thorn is back as well; whatever that is. Apparently they're the ones who killed Paige," Lila explained.

Melinda's eyes widened in shock. "A new Source," she repeated.

"It's as bad as it sounds," Chris spoke up pessimistically.

"Well, at least we have a lead," Melinda replied gently.

"I better go check on mom," Wyatt decided.

"You sure you want to do that?" Melinda asked. "She's hell bent on killing you."

"Yeah, well, we're probably worthy," he mumbled before shuffling off. Chris hesitantly followed after him.

"So it was pretty bad, huh?" Lila asked, taking another look at the overturned furniture and debris.

"Yeah," Melinda nodded. "For a minute we thought mom wasn't going to make it. And there were so many of them. They kept shimmering in . . . just when we'd get their numbers down they'd come with reinforcements."

"Were they like the ones from when . . ."

Kate's voice broke off as she remembered the scene and she swallowed hard, desperate to keep her composure. "Yeah," Melinda answered softly, knowing what her cousin implied. "Yeah, they were just like them."

"They had to have known that we were in the Underworld," Lila concluded after a long moment of thought. "That's how they knew when to attack."

"So are you saying there's a spy among us?" Kate asked.

"Well, not a spy among us, but maybe around us," she replied. "Have you guys noticed anything or anyone strange lately?"

"Besides mom getting killed, no," Kate said. Both Melinda and Lila shuddered with sadness. Desperate for more noise and talk, Melinda spoke up.

"You know, the weirdest thing happened in the middle of the fight," she said. "Laura's powers came back."

"What?" Lila choked out.

"Yeah and your mom said she hadn't unbound them," Melinda replied.

"Something weird is going on," Kate sighed. "That's all I have to say."

"I'm going to kill you!" Piper's voice rang loudly from the kitchen and the trio exchanged worried glances, knowing far to well what was taking place a few rooms away.

"We're sorry," Wyatt whispered in shame to his mother. She sat at a chair in the kitchen, Laura across from her, carefully stitching her shoulder. Leo had arms folded across his chest and glare narrowed on his sons as if they were unruly teenagers once again. Victor watched quietly from the other side of the room.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Piper shouted. "Not telling anyone that you were going to the Underworld!"

"Mom, I - - -"

"We're not twelve anymore!" Chris barked back over Wyatt's apology. His love for his mother was immense and unchanging but he was also willing to fight against her in many a battle. They were too alike for their own good. "We don't need to tell you where we go anymore or what we choose to do!"

"You put this family in jeopardy with your decision," Leo said coldly. "I asked you, I begged you, not to start searching for revenge."

"I'm not going to stand by and let what happened go unpunished," Chris replied. His voice and face became somber. "We're grown witches now and it's our turn to take over. That means doing things our way without having to ask mom or anyone else for permission."

"You're still my sons, Chris. I taught you better than this," Piper told him. She rose from her seat, anger on her face. "I'm disappointed. In both of you."

With that she silently strode out, still holding her wounded shoulder as she went. Worse than having Piper Halliwell mad at you was to have her silent treatment and Chris dropped his head in defeat. Victor patted him on the back as Wyatt strode after their mother. "Mom, at least let me heal you!" he called after her as she stomped up the stairs.

"It's fine!" she shouted, the attic door slamming shut behind her.

Joey slowly entered through the front door, tool box in hand, timidly watching his eldest cousin. "That sounded like it went well," he muttered.

"Shut up," Wyatt sighed, groaning in frustration and stomping off.

Rolling his eyes Joey headed for the sunroom, nearly smacking into Laura before he could enter. "Where's Lila?" she asked frantically.

"I don't know," Joey answered in perplexity. "Is everything okay?"

"No," Laura grumbled as she brushed past. He shuffled into the sunroom where Kate and Melinda were putting chairs back in their places.

"Why is everyone in a bad mood?" he asked.

"Look around you dumb ass," Kate replied before nearly running over and squeezing him in a hug. Joey had grown taller than in her in recent years but she handled him as though he were still ten years younger and six inches shorter. "Thank God you're okay."

"Yeah," he whispered, gently squeezing her back. She was shaking beneath him, trembling in complete terror and fear. Never in his years had he seen Kate show any sign of worry. Not in demon fights, not even with the death of both their parents. But now she was frail as a small child and an alarm went off inside him. Something was wrong with his sister. When they released Kate forced a meek smile, her face pale and lacking its usual spark. He studied her closely for a minute, tilting his head to the side. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm fine, Joey," she answered, her voice wavering. She glanced behind her and patted him on the back. "Now get to work, Mr. Fix-It."

"Yes, Ma'am," he grinned, deciding quietly that he would figure out his older sister later. For now he would do what he did best when it came to demon fights; clean up and repair. The one thing a mortal as himself could actually assist in. He took pride in his mechanic and carpentry abilities, the skills one of few things his father had the chance to teach him. Now with a heavy sigh he bent down to a knee, muttering to himself about fixing yet another broken table.

* * *

_all i can say is thank you for the great reviews! i hate to be an author who posts only because of reviews but they truly are encouraging and i love to hear what readers are thinking. this story is kind of my baby and i really really like writing it because i get to have so much freedom with the characters but still incorporate so much of what i love with charmed. that being said because of all this freedom it's great to hear opinions and thoughts because the possiblities are endless! so again, thank you for the thorough reviews, i really do take what you say into consideration when i write, and i hope to see more in the future! ~ sammy _

_and someone asked if i was going to address paige's death, and the answer is yes! or at least i will now because it seems like a good idea lol (and btw, sorry for your loss!)  
_


	5. End of Episode One

Laura leaned over the bathroom sink, glaring into the mirror as she studied her dripping wet face. With shaking hands she had removed the sweat and blood, the last remains of a gruesome battle. The last remains of a life she thought she had left behind. Her heart remained frozen in trepidation, her mind twisted with thoughts of how and why. In desperation she had her mother bind her powers and it had been one of the greatest feelings of relief she could remember. At the same moment, that day in the manor, that frightening battle with death and adrenaline had reminded her of what she was missing. It reminded her powers were part of her and without them a fraction of her soul felt empty and deprived.

But she refused to go back.

Swallowing down one last pit of emotion she grabbed a towel, drying her face and hands. She pushed open the door, finding none other than Lila a few yards away. Her eyes narrowed on her younger sister. "What the hell did you do?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Lila choked as Laura stormed toward her. Her elder sister hovered inches from her face, backing her into a corner.

"My powers. Do you have something to do with it?"

"No, I didn't unbind your powers, if that's what you're implying," Lila snapped, shoving her sister away from her. "I wouldn't jeopardize your precious medical career even though I've heard you having your powers back saved this family's life."

"That's beside the point. I have - - -"

"Is it really beside the point?" Lila asked evenly, her eyes darkening. "Laura you were born with powers because you were meant to have them and use them and to protect this family. I don't know how or why they're back but it's a second chance. Don't abandon us again."

"Quit saying that," Laura said quietly. "I'm not deserting anyone."

Lila watched as she strode off toward the attic. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to ask aunt Piper to re-bind my powers before I go to my shift at the hospital."

"You coward! After everything that happened today you rather have your powers stripped then use them to protect this family."

"The family can protect itself, assuming you and Wyatt and Chris don't go on another escapade down to the Underworld!"

"Don't put this on us," Lila hissed. "And don't you take for granted this family's ability to protect itself. There are things coming, much more pressing than your little powers."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's a new Source," she answered coldly. Laura's mouth dropped and her sister slowly backed away. "Yeah and as much as I don't want to admit it we could sure use your help now . . ."

Laura watched in silence as Lila disappeared back down the hall and descended the stairs. She slammed her head against the attic door and squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. "Damn it…" she murmured.

* * *

"We're home!" Phoebe's voice rang loudly through the manor as she pushed open the front door. Behind her Lucy hobbled inside, using a pair of crutches for aid, her leg casted and secured in black plaster. Sam slowly entered after them, shutting the door with their entrance.

"How'd it go?" Melinda asked, greeting them in front hall.

"Just your typical broken ankle," Lucy sighed before making her way passed for the living room.

"Everyone else home?" Phoebe asked. Melinda nodded nervously. "Oh boy, it was that bad, huh?"

"Well, the boys are still alive if that's what you mean," Melinda replied. "Mom's giving them the silent treatment though."

The trio stopped in the sunroom, where Joey was nailing together the last piece of a once broken bookshelf. "Looks like new, Junior," Phoebe grinned at her nephew.

He looked up and graced her with a dimpled smile. "Not bad for a mortal right?"

"Not bad at all," Phoebe chuckled. In front of her Lila entered, eyes widening when they landed on her mother.

"Hey, there you are . . ."

"Lila, you're grounded," Phoebe said curtly before turning on her heel.

"Wait, mom - - -"

"No," her mother replied, cutting her off quickly. "I'm not going to talk to you because if I do I might say something not so nice, okay honey? So let's make things better for everyone and not exchange words for the next eighty minutes, sound good? Great, okay, I'm going to go talk to your aunt Piper. Is she in the attic?"

Lila only gave a slow nod, brown eyes still set with unease as her mother sauntered off. Behind her Kate came, giving her a pat on the back. "At least you still have someone to get mad at you, right?" she said mordantly, though somewhere inside she was being ripped apart. Somewhere inside she wished for her mother to yell and to scream and to scold her for being so stupid and leaving her family high and dry by going to the Underworld but she wouldn't. She couldn't. It only reinforced the terrifying idea that Paige was gone forever.

"Don't be so sure you're off the hook yet," Sam announced behind the pair, arms folded across her chest, glare narrowed on her twin.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Lila decided before slipping off to the kitchen.

The sisters stared each other down silently for a moment, emotions and thoughts heavy in the air. "How could you do that?" Sam asked, completely betrayed.

"Sam, it wasn't about you, okay?" Kate said.

"Exactly. It was all about you Kate and your mission for revenge. It was selfish," Sam spat. "She was my mother too! You don't think I want to get back at those who killed her? I thought the least you could do was tell me your plans. Instead you did exactly what Kate wanted just like you always do."

"Like I always do?!"

"You think just because you're a fulltime witch it makes you better than me! That I don't stand up to par with you - - -"

"You're putting words in my mouth!" Kate shouted. "This has absolutely nothing to do with what I think of you, Sam, so why don't you stop being the selfish one. I didn't do it to betray you! I did it because I can't go on until it's finished!"

"What?"

"You just don't understand," her sister grumbled, eyes stark with emotion but void of any tears. Without a good-bye or warning she orbed out, leaving Sam standing in confusion and melancholy.

"You are so not living this one down," Lucy taunted her cousins as she lay on the couch, foot propped on Joey's lap. Chris stood at the end of the sofa opposite her and Wyatt sat on the coffee table.

"Just let one of us fix it," Wyatt pleaded.

"Come on, Louis, you're being stupid," Chris said.

"No, you two are the ones being ignorant. The doctor who put this cast on me is planning on a follow up appointment and if I show up lacking a cast or fracture he's going to know that something is up," Lucy told them.

"Then don't go back. Never go back to the hospital," Wyatt told her.

"The San Francisco Memorial is already suspicious enough of our family, remember aunt Piper's legendary aurora fever scare?" Lucy replied. "Besides Laura works at the hospital so people will remember her little sister coming in with a busted leg."

"Just have Laura be the one to sign off for you."

"Her department is emergency medicine dipstick, and trust me I want to lug this thing around even less than you want me to but we have no choice," Lucy said, a slow smirk crawling across her face. "Of course now every time you see it, you'll be reminded of your poor decisions and racked with guilt, so I guess the only decent thing for you to do is be at my beck and call . . ."

"Oh please, peanut," Chris said rolling his eyes in annoyance and ruffling her hair into a mess. Wyatt gave a sigh as he rose from his seat.

"I need to get to the _Triquetra. _The dinner rush is going to be coming in soon," he announced. He looked around the living room. "Just uh . . . tell mom where I went. If she cares to know at this point."

"Will do."

* * *

"It makes no sense," Phoebe gasped in disbelief, her mind sorting through a series of twisted and undecipherable thoughts. "I keep looking at it and I don't believe it."

Piper paced in front of her, one of many neurotic habits that she couldn't seem to shake after fifty-nine years. Phoebe and Paige used to tease her saying that as soon as Piper learned to walk she started to pace. Now the aging witch had no retorts or arguments in the fresh moment of mystery. "It means something," she mused. "I just don't know what . . ."

"Good one, sis," Phoebe muttered.

"Not in the mood," Piper said quickly. "I'm supposed to be ignoring my sons, hunting for demons, and figuring out what the hell is happening with the Power of Three."

"I still have . . ." Phoebe glanced at her watch. "Sixty minutes until I can talk to Lila."

"What?" her sister choked out in confusion.

"It's a little thing we came up with when she was in her adolescent years. I mean, we used to argue so much and it would just get so ugly that I made a rule; never speak when steamed," Phoebe explained.

"Very Zen of you," she chuckled.

"Yeah, well we can try the best we can, but it still might never be enough," Phoebe said distantly.

"I've been getting that feeling a lot lately," Piper whispered.

"It's just too much at once, that's all. It's bad timing with Paige's death," she replied hopefully. "We can't lose faith in them yet."

"I'm truly trying not to, but before I do all together let's just focus on something else," Piper suggested. She paused as she reached the book stand. "Like our little triquetra over here. Broken one day . . ."

"Solidified the next," Phoebe muttered as she joined her sister.

"Okay so we know that the triquetra represents the Power of Three. When we lost Prue it didn't break because we still had Paige . . ."

"At least that's what we're assuming."

"When Paige died, the triquetra split again because we don't have another sister."

"And you came up today and it was back together," Phoebe finished. "But what does that tell us?"

"The Power of Three is back," Piper replied, running a hand through her hair. "But how?"

"Paige is alive," her sister suggested.

"She can't be," Piper said. "We buried her hours ago."

"And the triquetra was back following the funeral . . ." Phoebe mused to herself. She groaned burying her head into her hands as she strained in thought. "Maybe we have another sister?"

Piper gave her an 'are you serious or just plain stupid look' before a voice behind the pair had them jumping from their positions. "Come on, I thought you'd come up with at least a better theory than that," their unexpected visitor teased.

Piper collapsed onto the couch next to her younger sister, eyes wide in awe. Phoebe could hardly speak, managing a simple and meek, "Paige?"

* * *

"Bullet wound to the left thigh and chest, airways seem to be clear."

Her voice was calm and comprehensible, in complete control as she ran with the speeding gurney through the sterile hospital corridor. Her auburn hair was tied behind her head, a few loose pieces interfering in her vision as she bent over her latest patient who bled without pause, a pool forming beneath him on the sheets. Her short legs came a halt as they pushed through the swinging emergency room doors where two nurses and another doctor began moving in a medical ballet.

"Get a number seven ET tube. What's the BP?" Laura asked above the loud noise and frantic yelling.

"Ninety over fifty," a nurse replied.

"Get a direct line started we need a nineteen-two on the infuser. Get me some cycloid pressure!" Laura ordered, the heart monitor screaming behind her as she attempted to squeeze the airway tube down the throat of her ailing patient. Blood stained her latex gloves and light pink scrubs.

"Pulse down to seventy-two," a fellow doctor warned.

"No cardio pulse," the nurse added.

"Get chest compressions," Laura instructed. She looked across the room, pointing to another doctor. "You! Bag her!"

In an instant Laura swung herself up on the table as the heart monitor screamed behind her, straddling the patient and starting CPR. She counted in her head, pressing down with pressure on the wounded chest of the man while another nurse supplied air. People screamed and argued around her, the machines buzzing with noise. It had been a gang fight in Chinatown and now the ER was flooded with stab wounds and bullet holes.

"Halliwell, we're going to need to operate here! He won't make it to the OR!"

The room spun with colors, voices, and screams. The intensity was thick and confusing and no training in medical school could prepare one for the real life or death situation that awaited you once putting on scrubs and entering the emergency room. It was difficult to keep control. Difficult to soothe the adrenaline and emotion. Almost as difficult as it had been that afternoon in the manor when death had once again stared her in the face.

"We're losing him!" Laura barked.

The flat line buzzed in her ears, the doctors yelled, and the patients moaned. Her heart thumped loudly, engulfing everything and everyone. She could hardly stand it. Sweat poured down her neck, her body was tensed.

And suddenly the machine next to her combusted.

Sparks flew and people screamed as the heart monitor burst in a loud explosion, flames engulfing the machine. Someone found an extinguisher and demolished the fire, but the alarm continued to sound and chaos continued to ensue.

Laura's heart sank in simultaneous dismay and rage.

"He's gone," the nurse announced.

She was shaking as she removed herself from the gurney, brushing past the other doctors and nurses in a direct path for the ER doors. She ripped off her rubber gloves, bitterly throwing them in the toxin bin as a few colleagues called after her. She ignored them, striding for the lounge in desperation.

It wasn't that she hadn't lost a patient before. It wasn't that she was truly upset with his death. Discouraging and frightening was the fact that her powers had resurfaced and were causing the same problems she had bound them for. She kicked the row of lockers in frustration as she entered the room, flopping down onto a bench.

Her aunt Piper had re-bound her powers before she left the manor for her shift. Now that they had come back unwelcome and without warning once more, Laura feared there was no escaping them.

Two years earlier she had left John Hopkins University in a swirl of panic and desperation. Two years ago her powers had betrayed her and put her career as a doctor in peril. In the moments of panic and stress that came about in the emergency room during her residency, Laura's power of molecular combustion, the same one her aunt Piper wielded so fiercely, backfired. Without intention she was blowing up jars, bins, and machines. With her in the room, the ER patients were in the presence of more danger than aid.

It was no surprise with her powers tied to her emotions and life in the hospital so naturally stressful that things like explosions and combustion became difficult to control. So she had teleported back to her mother's house, pleading for her powers to be stripped and bound forever. Phoebe claimed she could help her find a center; find control over her abilities so that they would cease being a problem in the pressing environment. Laura had insisted that she had no more time for magic and no extra time to learn control. And with heaviness and sadness in her heart Phoebe had cast the spell to rid her daughter of her birthright; of her destiny.

Now tears stung Laura's eyes as she barricaded herself in the locker room, knees hugged to her chest as she rocked back and forth. Destiny had found her once more and now there seemed to be no escape.

* * *

"I knew it!" Phoebe finally exclaimed, her face buoyant and relieved. She nudged Piper who still sat in shock. "I told you she was alive."

Paige Matthews-Mitchell's smile fell and she gave a slow shake of her head. "No Phoebe . . . I'm . . . I'm not alive," she replied somberly. "I'm still dead."

"Oh," Phoebe muttered in rediscovered sadness.

"What's the afterlife like?" Piper asked lightheartedly, making the moment a bit less mournful.

Paige grinned, "Everything you would expect and more. All you can eat buffet, no lines, spa treatments, and everyone gets an Oceanside mansion."

"You're lying," Phoebe gasped but still gazed in curiosity.

"Yes, I'm lying; nothing gets past you Pheebs," Paige chuckled. A smile widened across her face. "But I . . . I have seen Henry."

Both sisters melted in bliss, absolutely thrilled for their sister. After years of demonic battles, reuniting with her husband was the least that Paige deserved in the afterlife.

"I also got to meet our big sister Prue," she continued.

This time Phoebe and Piper were stricken with painful remembrances and without words Paige grabbed each of them in a hug. The two sisters sobbed more, even though it was not their intention to shed more tears after the funeral was complete. But in the arms of their fallen sister it was only expected that sentiment would escape and tears stained their cheeks and clothes.

"Why'd you have to die?" Piper asked bitterly wiping away her tears.

"Just my way of sending in my resignation to the Elders," Paige joked sardonically.

"I should have thought of that," Piper muttered.

"Not funny," Phoebe growled with a sniffle.

"Grams sends her best," Paige told them. Both girls rolled their eyes. "And so does mom."

"Oh, I miss her," Piper sighed. It had been roughly ten years since she last saw her mother. The occasion had been for questioning about one demonic challenge or another but still as an adult with grown children, she longed for her mother.

"Not to dampen the happiness of your visit, but what are you doing here?" Phoebe suddenly asked.

Paige gave a slight smirk. "I'm here to answer your questions about the triquetra. The Power of Three to be more specific."

"Good because this thing is starting to freak me out," Piper replied, smacking the worn cover of the Book of Shadows.

"So what's going on Paige?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, part of your guys' theory is right," she answered. "The triquetra is solidified because the Power of Three is back."

"How is that possible? You're dead, Prue is dead . . ."

"We have another sister, don't we?" Phoebe choked out.

"No - - -"

"Brother?"

"No, mom did not mother any other illegitimate children," Paige groaned. "Just listen, okay?"

"Yeah, shut your yap and let the lady talk," Piper hissed at Phoebe who only rolled her eyes in return.

"Don't blame it on me . . ."

"Well, in a way, it is your fault Phoebe," Paige chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked in confusion.

"I mean that the Power of Three is back because of you," she said, a smile widening across her face. Pride brightened her eyes as she locked onto her older sister's. "Phoebe, your children . . . your daughters; they are the new Power of Three. They're the new Charmed Ones."

"What?" Phoebe choked out. "No. No, not my daughters."

"Yes," Paige nodded excitedly.

"But how? How? My girls, my girls who want to kill each other, who tried to no doubt, are supposed to be the future of good?" Phoebe asked.

"Stranger things have happened sis," Piper chuckled, a grin on her face as well.

"Laura's powers have been stripped and - - -"

"Why do you think they became un-bound today during the demon spar?" Paige replied, raising an eyebrow. Phoebe's mouth dropped in realization and she took a short moment to concept the idea. Part of her was filled with satisfaction while another shook with anxiety and disbelief. "Laura, Lila, and Lucy are next in line. We're done, retired, old and nada. And the Halliwell legacy has been passed on. Our time of fighting is done but the Charmed Ones aren't. The time of the next generation has come."

**to be continued . . . **

**[end of episode one, "if the fates allow"] **

* * *

_so in traditional charmed fashion that was the short end of the first episode! thanks again for the great reviews, i hope to see more as episode two is posted ~ sammy _


	6. Episode Two : Something to Believe

Episode Two: Something to Believe 

The waves climbed up the shore with grace, sliding with just the slightest noise against the sand before pulling back into themselves. The water was consoling even in its dreary morning colors and less than warm temperature. Seagulls flocked the damp sand, poking at trash and crying loudly above the Ocean's rhythm; together they were the beach song.

An overcast day presented itself as she sat in silence, eyes heavy on the pale cerulean water and gray sky. Dreariness encompassed the day, and with its atmosphere she got the feeling that things would become worse before they got better. A feeling that made her core twist in despair.

Wind whipped through her auburn locks, twisting and manhandling them with relentlessness but completely gentle at the same time. She squinted her hazel eyes against the breeze, though they were already watering for reasons separate from the harsh pull of Mother Nature's draft. She still wore her insipid jade scrubs, stained with a few drops of blood and scuffle marks from the emergency room. Wrapped tightly around her to shield her from the coldness of San Francisco's Bay was a cream sweater that she hugged close to her body as she shivered.

The last time she had visited the beach in such gloom had been after a heart wrenching day at the hospital. His name had been Hector. Whenever one spoke the simple word she found herself sinking with angst. It had been her first day of work at the San Francisco Memorial. Her first real day in the ER without fellow students and a classroom. Rolling through the double doors that day had been a frail boy, secured in a brace and backboard as paramedics pushed him through. It had been a car accident. There was blood coming from so many directions and body parts that she had hardly known where to start. In that moment all training and studying she had ever received went out the window. All the adrenaline and emotion took over and she could hardly keep her hands from shaking or heart from thumping in her ears. The boy cried restlessly and shouted in pain. And she looked into his eyes, green eyes they had been, and attempted to soothe him. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Hector," he whimpered.

"Okay, it's going to be okay, Hector, all right? I'm Dr. Halliwell and I'm going to take care of you," she had told him soothingly.

He nodded but cried more. "Am I going to die?"

"No," she had answered. "No, you're not going to die."

When his heart monitor flat lined and she pounded on his chest for CPR, she regretted every word she had said. She had lost faith in everything she knew. She had become completely broken. When the nurse declared the time of death, she fled the ER, hiding like a small child in the locker room with knees pulled her chest and tears cascading down her cheeks.

And the beach, the beach where she had grown up with her cousins and laughed and played in the water and built sand castles, was the one spot she could find solace. Because at the Bay, with the water tumbling and the seagulls flocking and the red Golden Gate Bridge above, there was no death; everything was alive. And for a moment she could feel alive to.

Now however she felt as though the beach lacked its former console. Now her problems differed from life or death. They weren't about the hospital or patients.

Memories of the previous evening flourished through her mind, flashing at rapid speed and without pause, causing her to twist with more resentment, apprehension, and depression. She squeezed her eyes shut, the events loud in her mind.

_Her stomached lurched as she landed in the manor, instantly recalling the ability to teleport. "Whoa," Joey gasped in surprise at her entrance. "Didn't aunt Piper bind your powers?" _

"_Yeah, well we thought she did," Laura answered before charging up the stairs, hair still unkempt and scrubs still on. The attic door was closed when she approached and out of habit she knocked, voice wavering with distress. "Aunt Piper! I need to talk to you!" _

"_Just a minute, honey," Piper's voice came muffled from the other side but in the moment Laura lacked all patience. She shoved open the door, simultaneously gasping out in confusion. _

"_Why are my powers back again . . ." her voice trailed off as she looked up to find her mother and aunt Piper frozen in panic with her unexpected entrance. Then her eyes dragged over to the third member in the room and her mouth dropped. "Aunt Paige?" _

"_Okay, we can explain, Laura, just . . ." Phoebe's words stopped as Laura fainted back, her body thumping onto the creaking floorboards of the attic. _

"_Oh boy," Piper muttered as Phoebe moved to revive her eldest child. _

"_I'm going to take that as my cue to go," Paige spoke up, giving a warm smile. _

"_Wait but Paige there's still so much that we don't know," Phoebe said in desperation, eyes set with anxiety. "How do we go from here?" _

"_You'll figure it out; I mean who better to help them then their predecessors?" Paige replied. Her body swirled in a shower of orbs as she slowly faded transparent. "Bye for now." _

"_Paige . . ." Piper stopped as her youngest sister disappeared and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "That is just like her, you know? Leaving us at the most crucial moment with a smirk on her face." _

"_Here, help me with Laura," Phoebe spoke up, grabbing one of her daughter's arms. Piper grunted as she held the other, and slowly the two drug her over to the sofa, flopping her down into a sitting position when they reached it. _

"_I'll go get her some water," Piper said, quickly leaving the pair in the attic. _

_Phoebe sighed, gazing at her eldest, her first born, in affection and worry. Tenderly she brushed away a lock of her caramel hair, watching her in sadness. She admired Laura in more ways than one. She had fought to create an identity and meaning for herself and in the end had been more successful than Phoebe could have ever dreamed. But now, in a few short days, that destiny, the one she had forged for herself, was about to be ripped away. _

_Laura mumbled as she came to, slowly blinking open her eyes in puzzlement. "Mom . . ." she murmured. _

"_I'm right here, sweetie," Phoebe replied. _

_As Laura's eyes adjusted and she remembered her surroundings, she stiffened in alertness. "Aunt Paige. She was here, wasn't she?" _

_Phoebe nodded. "Yes." _

_Interrupting them was Piper's arrival with a glass of water. "How you feeling honey?" she asked her niece. _

"_Okay," Laura answered as she gratefully took the water from her aunt. When she rubbed her head she could feel a bump starting to form from where she had hit the floor. Then in the quiet she suddenly was reminded of why she had come to the manor in the first place. "Why are my powers back? Why was aunt Paige here?" _

"_The answers to those questions are one in the same," Piper replied. _

"_But I think we need to get your sisters," Phoebe said. _

"_What's going on?" Laura asked. _

"_Just let me get Lila and Lucy - - -"_

"_Mom, tell me; why are my powers back? Why . . ." Laura's voice trailed off as a sudden epiphany overcame her. In a moment of realization she was reminded of how her aunts first got their powers. How they first became unbound and how they, the three of them, sisters, had become the Charmed Ones. "No . . . no." _

"_Laura, are you okay?" Phoebe asked worriedly._

"_It's us, isn't it?" Laura choked, rising from the couch, her eyes drowning with despair. _

"_What are you - - -"_

"_We're the new Charmed Ones, aren't we? We're the Power of Three," she realized, pacing away in panic. Piper and Phoebe exchanged anxious looks. "That's why Paige was here. That's why my powers are back." _

_Neither Piper or Phoebe could find the words to speak and Laura grew with frustration. "Tell me! Am I right?" _

"_Yes," Phoebe choked out. "We - - -"_

"_How did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?!" Laura barked. _

"_We just found out ourselves," Piper replied gently. "That's why you're aunt Paige was here. She was telling us what was going on." _

"_And I have no choice in this? After everything that I have worked so hard for, all the decisions I have made, I have to become a Charmed One?!" _

"_Laura, we didn't choose for this to happen to you! This was destiny! This is you're destiny. You were chosen to be one of the most powerful beings in the world and you are going to deny that?! You will forsake all of what we have taught you and the heritage of this family?!" Phoebe shouted in a sudden outburst, emotion shaking her voice._

"_What; have you been talking to Lila?" Laura asked coldly._

"_I have never thought your decision to become a doctor was selfish. I never even thought that your decision to bind your powers was selfish. But this. This is selfish Laura!" her mother yelled. "You are a witch, you are a Halliwell, and you are a Charmed One whether you want to be or not! And I don't know if this time I can let you deny that."_

Now she stared longingly at the waves twisting with restlessness but remaining a beacon of peace in the same instant. Laura buried her head into her hands, cursing at herself; at her destiny. She knew it was wrong of her to deny it but she also knew it was unfair that she had to accept it against her own will. She wasn't willing to sacrifice her career for magic. She also wasn't willing to sacrifice her family or the future of good by denying her place in the Power of Three.

The abrupt shout of her beeper yanked her away from her thoughts. She gave a low groan, grabbing the device from the elastic waistband of her scrubs. A new shift was beginning at the hospital and subconsciously she dreaded the idea of entering the emergency room with her out of control powers. Sensing no other choice she rose from the sand, brushing off her clothes and slowly making her way for the silver hybrid parked behind the shore.

* * *

Piper Halliwell slid the last pancake off of the cooking iron, flipping it onto the latest warm stack of breakfast goodness. A warm sun slid through the open windows, brightening the day with hopefulness and a golden glow. With ease she made her way for the repaired sunroom where conversation was rampant around the table.

"Yeah, the new additions to the menu are a hit," Wyatt was saying happily, his hazel eyes bright with their usual optimism. As Piper set another plate onto the table he gave her a warm grin. "Thanks, mom."

"So, a hit huh? Beating out dear old mom's original recipes?" Piper asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

Wyatt smirked, "Of course not. Piper Halliwell's originals are still the most appreciated items on the menu," he assured. Though Piper had passed her businesses onto her sons, she still took silent pride and great interest in the two places she had built from the ground up. When things were going poorly at either the club or restaurant, Piper was fast to criticize her sons (with affection of course). "But Chris, does say that profits have increased since my additions . . ."

"Is that right, Chris?" Leo asked. Chris had hardly said two words at the table, bitterly picking at his food.

"Yep," he answered. "I did the numbers last night actually. And Wyatt's being nice; between his and mom's dishes, Wyatt's are being ordered three to one."

"You know how to make a woman sober, Chris," Piper replied cynically before taking a drink of her coffee.

"So, is it true that Laura, Lila, and Lucy are the new Power of Three?" Melinda spoke up as she set down her fork. Everyone exchanged curious glances and Piper swallowed, slowly setting down her cup.

"Yes," she answered slowly. "Yes they are."

"I don't believe it," Wyatt said.

"What, you jealous Wy?" Melinda teased.

"No, I'm already Twice-Blessed, remember?" he quipped with a good-natured smile.

"So is Laura going to do it?" Chris asked, his tone completely serious. Despite not having any abilities like empathy or sensing, he was intuitive and had already begun thinking about the next plans of action.

"Why wouldn't she?" Melinda questioned.

"Think about it Mel. Laura has dedicated her life to avoiding magic; now she has to embrace it without a choice," Chris replied before his eyes settled back on his mother.

Piper shrugged. "I don't know about Laura. She was pretty upset last night," she revealed. "You can't blame her though. It's a hard concept to come to terms with and I'm sure eventually she'll make a decision."

"Hopefully not the wrong one," Chris muttered.

"You got to have faith little bro," Wyatt teased. He stretched in his chair and looked to his younger sister. "But on a better note; how are things back at Golden Gate High, Mel?"

A smile spread across Melinda's face. "The same as always," she answered. "The kids are just as undisciplined, my second period calculus class stares at me with contempt, and Principal Keller still smells like onions."

Both brothers laughed. "Remember that time we forked his yard?" Chris chuckled.

"Or the time we painted over his parking spot?" Wyatt added.

"Or what about when we printed those flyers for a party at his house and posted them all over the school," Chris laughed.

"You know that is still not funny to me," Leo said rolling his eyes, but still suppressing a smirk.

"Do you know how many times your father and I were called into his office when you two were in school?" Piper sighed.

"Don't over-exaggerate. For the most part it was Chris," Wyatt said.

"Yeah after you gave me all the ideas," Chris replied.

"No wonder every teacher I had would always groan about _'another Halliwell"_," Melinda chuckled.

"Don't blame your bad reputation on us, Mel," Chris grinned.

"What?! I had a flawless reputation, thank you very much," she exclaimed in outrage.

"Goody two shoes," her brother grumbled in annoyance.

"Missy Chrissie," Melinda retorted, and Wyatt erupted in loud laughter while Chris gave her a dirty scowl.

"Do you three still have to argue like you're nine years old?" Piper asked.

"Don't act like you're annoyed. Subconsciously you miss all this," Wyatt reasoned.

"Oh really? What makes you so sure?"

"Why else would you make us come to Thursday Breakfast?" he smiled.

Thursday Breakfast was a weekly tradition started by Piper Halliwell over eight years earlier when Wyatt and Chris had left the nest and set out on their own. With their busy schedules and constant demon fighting, the family hardly had time together, which Piper truly longed for, and being the innovative mother that she was, she created mandatory Thursday Breakfasts. Now that all three of her children were grown with jobs and no longer living under her roof, it became especially important to her that they all had quality time with one another. Especially when they never knew what might be coming next.

"Well, I need to get going," Melinda announced sadly as she grabbed another bagel and drank down the rest of her juice.

"Need a lift?" Wyatt asked her.

"No, I drove," she answered, gathering the stack of graded papers she had brought with her. She bent down and gave Leo a kiss on the cheek and then moved to give her mother an embrace.

"Honey, will you be sure to remind Sam that we're supposed to have the will read today back here around seven?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, sure," Melinda nodded. "I was planning on having lunch with her anyway. I'll tell her then."

"I'll walk you out," Wyatt said as he rose. "I have to get to the restaurant before brunch."

"We do brunch now?" Piper asked. "Since when?"

"Just one of the successful Head Chef Halliwell additions," he answered with a wink.

"Well I would like to know when we add things like brunch to our menu," Piper replied. "I still own the place in case you forgot . . ."

"How about you come in later today and you can taste it for yourself?" Wyatt suggested as they embraced.

"I might just have to do that," she said.

"You coming?" Wyatt asked Chris.

"I have to check things out at the club. I'll stop by the restaurant later," he answered.

With a few last goodbyes Wyatt and Melinda departed the dining room and suddenly all was quiet again. Leo glanced from Piper to Chris, sensing the emotion and intensity. "You know what…" he began with a foreboding smirk. "I'm going to leave you two to talk."

"Dad - - -"

"Leo - - -"

"Call me if there's bloodshed," he called behind him as he made his way out of the dining room. Since the incident on the day of Paige's funeral the mother, son pair had been hesitant to exchange words. Chris was slow to apologize and for that Piper was just as stubborn when it came to forgiveness.

"I'll help you clear the table," Chris decided softly.

"That'd be nice," Piper said just as gently. In a short quiet the two cleared the dining room table of dishes and glasses, retreating into the kitchen for a session of washing and drying. Piper looked to her son as the sink began to run, biting on her bottom lip for a moment. "So . . . things at the _Triquetra _are going well then?"

Chris' emerald eyes slowly slid up to meet hers. "We're on speaking terms now?"

"Seems that way," she answered.

"Good I was getting tiered of forcing apologies. It's not like I haven't felt bad enough," Chris grumbled as he dried another dish.

"You can't blame me for being angry," Piper said.

"I know," he muttered in remorse. "I feel horrible for leaving you up here defenseless. If anything were to happen to you I would never forgive myself. But you have to trust Wyatt and I and the rest of us. It's our turn now and mom and we're going to screw up a few times just like you did. You have to give us that chance though. You can't hold us back."

Piper hated when her son spoke with such reason and clarity; one of few times he reminded her of his father rather than herself. She gave a slow nod of her head but wrapped a hand around her son's arm, grabbing his attention with familiar tenderness. "Chris, you're my son. My youngest son at that and I am always going to worry about you and always think of you as that little boy I raised. As of late you seem to think you're invincible and you've taken it upon yourself to protect the family. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'll be fine mom," he assured her.

"Promise me, you'll be careful," she whispered, caressing the side of his face.

"I promise," Chris nodded.

"I love you," Piper told him softly before pulling him into an embrace.

"I love you too, mom," he whispered.

* * *

The engine growled as it chugged up Oceanside Drive, a quiet neighborhood road with Baker Beach on one side and a series of suburban homes on the other. A crisp San Francisco sun was beginning to rise despite early morning gloom, and the clouds slowly parted from their gray clusters.

As a familiar white condo came into view, the sleek motorcycle eased to a stop and sliding off the seat was Joey Mitchell. He punted the kickstand out, steadying the bike, straightened out his leather jacket and ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair. A pair of joggers ran past, both wearing San Francisco University sweatshirts. He flashed them a grin. "Morning ladies . . ." he said. They only rolled their eyes, laughing as they continued onward. He blushed, grumbling to himself as he headed for the tall staircase that lead up to the front door of the condo. "Stupid. Come up with a better freaking line then that . . ."

Adjusting the backpack on his shoulder, Joey pressed the doorbell, wind whipping from the beach through his left ear as he waited on the porch. Finally the door swung open and he gave a grin. "Joey!" his aunt exclaimed in excitement. In an instant she had him in a hug, kissing the side of his cheek and pulling him inside.

"Morning aunt Pheebs," he chuckled.

"What are you doing here?" Phoebe asked as she closed the door behind him.

"I thought I'd keep Lucy company," Joey explained as they headed up the stairs. "I mean, considering we're both college students on leave with nothing to do until after the New Year. And considering she's stuck on her ass with a broken leg . . ."

"Don't remind me," Lucy groaned as her mother and cousin entered.

"I brought videos and Mr. Pibb," Joey said, as he joined her in the living room. "Thought we could have a Hitchcock marathon."

"Oh I knew I loved you, Junior," Lucy grinned widely.

"I know, who doesn't?" he chuckled.

Since they were young, Joey and Lucy had been inseparable. Being the two youngest of the family they often found themselves in the same boat; avoiding baby cracks and ignored by their elder siblings and cousins. The best friend pair was only a year a part and throughout their high school careers had been hardly seen without one another. On some strange unspoken level they understood each other and more than that needed each other. Lucy found Joey to be the only one she could talk to and the only one who didn't call her "baby" or "peanut" because he was a year younger. And for Joey he found an ally in his elder cousin, one who didn't treat him differently because he was the youngest and didn't have powers.

"You two are adorable," Phoebe sighed, tilting her head to the side as she watched them on the couch.

"Ew, mom these painkillers are making my gag reflex extra sensitive so try to avoid the sentimental talk," Lucy said, casted leg propped up on the coffee table. In the first six hours of her arrival home from the hospital nearly everyone in the family had taken to signing it, writing messages and inappropriate pictures, which Phoebe had taken to scribbling over.

"Well, I hate to leave you two, but I have a meeting with my publisher and then I'm having lunch with your aunt Piper and Billie," Phoebe said, gathering her purse and keys. She pecked a kiss on Joey and Lucy's cheeks before heading for the staircase. "Don't answer the door for strangers."

"Okay!" Joey laughed. "Bye!"

The door swung close behind her and Joey gave a sigh, reaching into his bag. "So, what should we start with? Vertigo?"

"You have Spellbound in there?" Lucy asked.

"I think so . . ." he answered ruffling through the DVDs in his pack. He pulled it out and carefully began putting it in the player. "Spellbound; wouldn't be inspired by your recent discovery as a Charmed One?"

"Please, it's so overrated," Lucy replied as he sat back down next to her.

"So you're not excited?"

"I was a witch before this and one after it. The Power of Three honestly just sounds like more work than it's worth," she answered with a sigh. "I know mom already thinks we can't do it."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, that's right you weren't there for the Laura vs. Lila round seventy-eight," she answered.

"What happened?"

"They got in a WWF style brawl," Lucy said.

"And I missed it? Damn," Joey groaned.

"The Power of Three is based on a bond between sisters. But we . . . we don't have that I guess. Not like mom and Piper and Paige and even Prue had," she sighed. "Laura doesn't even want to be Charmed. She's going to deny it; I already know it and that will only make her and Lila hate each other more. It's too bad the future of good is depending on us. I mean no pressure right?"

Joey eyes fell a little with melancholy and he forced a dreary smile. "I think you can do it."

"Please Joe . . ."

"No, really I do. I know you can. This wouldn't happen to you if you couldn't handle it . . ." he muttered.

"Maybe you're right."

"Yeah, well I like to think I am sometimes," Joey replied forcing a wide grin. "So, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, girls still think you're cute, no you're pick up lines are not good, and yes I will help you sway the opposite sex," Lucy said.

"How'd you know - - -"

"Can we just shut up and watch the movie?"

Joey chuckled and shook his head. "Sure Luce."

* * *

The two bedroom apartment was empty when Kate rose at a quarter past eleven, hair messy and hazel eyes bloodshot. Sam had already left for work at the Bay Mirror, leaving Kate with only a half-pot of coffee and a scribbled note on the refrigerator. _Meeting at Aunt Piper's to read mom's will at seven tonight. Remember rent is due today. I left the check under the mirror, make sure Ron gets it._

Kate shuddered at the slip of paper, her hands trembling with unfamiliar unsteadiness as she sat at the small kitchen table. She hadn't fallen asleep until six that morning and when slumber had found her she was gripped by dreams filled with terrifying memories of Paige's untimely death. Her stomach churned with nerves and though she hadn't eaten in days she couldn't find it in herself to consume food. In fact she could hardly remember the last time she had showered either. All the days blurred together in one painful hour of consciousness and her head pounded with fatigue and grief.

Her dark stare settled on the blank wall ahead of her and in an instant without intention she was hearing the voices, seeing the people, the memories, the blood, and her mother.

It had been a normal day at the manor when the attack had begun. Paige and Piper were making arrangements for Christmas in the living room. Joey had tagged along to help himself to a lunch made by his favorite aunt. Three demons and two darklighters had shimmered in, their attack unexpected and well-planned. Things in the Underworld were clearly becoming more organized and alliances were starting to form among the many evil factions, including those between darklighters and upper level demons.

Piper called for backup and Chris came immediately. The numbers of the demons had dwindled but two more had shimmered in and the darklighters still lingered. Joey hid behind the couch as the fighting took place and Paige fought as fearlessly as she always did. Then came the life changing part; an arrow ripped through Chris' back and he immediately fell to the floor, the poisoned tip plunging straight through his chest.

Kate would never forget hearing her mother's cries for help. When she orbed in Chris was limp on the floor and Piper tended to him with tears in her eyes, still screaming for Wyatt who had been lured to the Underworld in order to save another charge. "Go help Chris!" Paige had ordered her daughter.

Without hesitation she had slid over to her cousin's side, her hands shaking as she pulled the arrow out of his weak body. His face was pale and sweat dampened his neck and chest, seeping through his shirt. His whitelighter half was fading fast and soon the rest of him would follow. Kate quickly placed hands above him, the healing process proceeding at an anxious speed while fireballs flew and her mother and aunt desperately fought their latest adversaries.

She was not half way finished healing Chris when an unwarranted blow struck her, throwing her into the nearby wall.

And when she finally came out of blackness the fighting had stopped.

The manor was silent minus a few wheezing noises and Piper's voice screaming for help. Paige lay limp on the floor, shaking violently with two darklighter arrows protruding from her chest. Joey was at her side, holding her hand and sobbing uncontrollably. Kate frantically crawled over, her ears ringing and a dead quiet encompassing everything around her. "Katie heal her!" Joey begged.

Sweat touched Kate's brow as she yanked the first arrow out of Paige's frail body. Only a low wheeze escaped her mother's lungs, her lips dry and lacking all color but lifted in a weak smile. She gave a pained grunt as Kate ripped the second arrow out but remained tranquil as she lay. She stared with watering brown eyes, watching her last moments in complete harmony. "Not yet," Kate kept whispering to herself. "Not yet. Not yet . . ."

Her hands hovered with a golden glow above Paige's wounds and she waited in trepidation for the healing process to begin. But it never did. The dark stains of blood never evaporated. The gapping holes left by the arrows never closed. She focused and tried and tears fell from her eyes but nothing happened and she choked out a frustrated scream. "Why isn't it working?" Joey asked gently, brown eyes completely gone as if they were staring through their dying mother and at the blood covered floor beneath her.

Kate shook her head, never removing her hands, never quitting. Paige continued to tremble, body white as ash and chest lacking life. "It's okay, baby . . ." she whispered hoarsely to her daughter, grabbing one of her hands. Her fingers could hardly wrap around Kate's but she gave a smile. "It's okay."

"No, mom, please . . ." Kate whispered frantically, refusing to look at her mother. Refusing to move from the wounds and refusing to stop her attempt at healing. "I can do it. I can do it. I can do it . . ."

"Mom," Joey whimpered, tears sliding down his face. He grabbed her other hand, squeezing it tightly in his own, hanging on for dear life. She graced him with one of her charismatic smiles.

"You're going to be okay, Henry," she told him.

"I love you, mom," he whispered, voice cracking with thick tears.

"I love you too," Paige said gently. She looked up at Kate who hadn't moved and remained locked in her stubborn position with hands hovering over her mother's body. "Kate . . . It's time honey."

"No," she insisted shaking her head. "I can do it. I can do it."

"I love you so much," Paige choked, blood encompassing all parts of her now. Her body a place that only trapped her soul and in a moment she would leave. "Kate, look at me."

"I can do it. I can . . ."

"Kate," Paige pleaded softly. Her eldest, her first born, slowly looked to meet her mother's kind and tiered eyes. "I'm proud of you, honey. And I love you. I love you and your sister and your brother so much. Take care of each other, okay? It will be . . . it will be okay . . . I promise . . . I . . . I love . . . I . . ."

"Mom . . ." Joey cried, watching in horror as Paige's eyes locked in one last unmoving stare. He rumbled with sobs, burying his head to the ground with his dead mother's hand in his own.

"No . . . No, I can do it . . . I can do it. I can do it. I can," Kate kept repeating, her mind in a different place. Her soul ripped away from her. She only could continue to repeat the words, keep her hands locked in their healing position. It was the only way she could pretend that none of it was real. "I can do it . . ."

Now in the kitchen she replayed the memory in her head, her mother's blood still staining her hands, her lips still moving in a senseless phrase. It was all real. The flashback was consuming her entire being. She just kept staring at the blank wall, trapped with a mind full of terror.

"Kate? Kate?"

She didn't know how long she had stared or how long she had been sitting there in thought, but she nearly jumped out of her own skin when she realized that someone was behind her. She pulled in a breath and recovered, turning to find Lila at her back.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you okay?" Lila asked in her own secret worry.

"What?" Kate mumbled incoherently as she returned to reality. "What? I'm fine. I'm fine."

"You don't look like it," Lila replied.

"I'm okay, Ly," Kate insisted again, this time scrambling up from her seat and gathering her coffee, hands trembling as she gripped the mug.

"Is Sam around?" her cousin asked, scanning the small apartment in concern.

"No. No she left for work already," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"You told me to come over last night . . . remember? We were going to look through the Book of Shadows . . ." Lila began.

"Oh right, sorry, must have slipped my mind," Kate nodded, covering her abnormal behavior the best she could. "You think aunt Piper will mind?"

"No, she won't even be there. She is supposed to be having lunch with aunt Piper and Billie," Lila explained, deciding to shrug off the oddness of the situation.

"Has anyone told them that there's a new Source?" she asked, slowly beginning to shuffle toward her bedroom. Lila followed after and shook her head.

"Nope, not yet," she answered, flopping down onto Kate's bed. Her older cousin continued into the closet, riffling through hangers and drawers for something clean and acceptable. In the past days laundry seemed to be yet another thing she had neglected.

"I feel like that's a bad idea. Someone needs to tell them," she said as she swiped a pair of jeans from the messy floor. She sniffed for odor and when nothing too alarming stung her nostrils she pulled them on.

"They'll find out eventually. Wyatt just doesn't want to worry anyone with everything else that has been going on recently," Lila muttered. "The last thing we need is aunt Piper to have a stroke . . ."

"Funny," Kate said with a roll of her eyes before exiting the closet in a fresh wardrobe. She gave Lila a warm smile, eyes glimmering with something of hopefulness. A weak attempt at proving she was okay. "So, congratulations on the promotion."

"Promotion?"

"Being the new Power of Three."

"Right," Lila chuckled. "Well, that already sounds like a bust."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really think that Laura and Lucy and I are capable of being the Power of Three."

"Do you not want to?" Kate asked in confusion.

"No! Of course I want to. I was thrilled when I found out. To be Charmed is . . . it's amazing but Laura doesn't seem to think so," Lila explained. "As usual she'll screw things up for everyone else before sacrificing her happiness."

"You're hard on her. Maybe she'll surprise you," Kate said. "Besides, she might not even have a choice with her powers back or with the Source in town."

"You bring a valid point," she replied.

"I always do," Kate chuckled. "Now, lets go to the manor, shall we?"

"I'm right there with you," Lila smirked before disappearing in a swirl of pink. Kate pulled in one last calming breath and slowly orbed out.

* * *

Chris gave a low groan as he sat the bar, a calculator and pile of papers in front of him. A stack of boxes occupied the spot next to him, the latest orders for P3. He pounded numbers on the machine, scribbling out data onto the open file. The work that being the financial manager of two businesses entailed was tedious and frustrating, but Chris took pride in all that had been accomplished in the past five years since his taking over. Ratings of both the restaurant and club had sprung up and the establishments were becoming renowned in the Bay area. The Halliwells were truly making a mark on the map.

"You Chris Halliwell?"

A cool female voice echoed behind him and he wondered how he had not heard the visitor enter. He swiveled around quickly on his bar stool, greeted by the round and stunning face of the unwarranted woman. "Club is closed, I'm sorry," Chris said placidly.

"I'm aware," she replied. She stood firm and composed in her position, dark raven locks sweeping down her shoulders and large russet eyes locked in a stoic stare.

Chris' eyes narrowed in confusion. "Can I help you with something then?" he asked.

"I'm Detective Bianca Lawrence," the woman answered. "I've been sent to investigate your aunt Paige Matthews-Mitchell's death."

The young Halliwell was quickly overcome with complete seriousness, his heart freezing in anxiety. He swallowed hard, slipping under a mask of coldness and strength. "The SFPD didn't contact anyone in my family about an investigation."

"That's because the case has just been opened," Bianca revealed somberly.

"Is an investigation even necessary?"

"The cause of death remains unknown, Mr. Halliwell."

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know how to help you Detective Lawrence," Chris replied back coldly.

"I believe you do," she said, taking a step closer. "I'm here to find out what happened to your aunt and I won't stop until I do. Your family, the Halliwells, have been linked to thousands of cases that have never been closed and all untouched. People at the department backed off before because of Henry Mitchell's presence at the SFPD but I'm not willing to now. There is something very wrong with your family Mr. Halliwell, and I'm willing to go to all lengths necessary to unveil it."

"Good luck then," Chris told her bitterly. He inched closer to her, his body tensed and his senses consumed by a familiar protective nature. "Because I won't let you bully this family around with a badge and a gun. And to be honest with you, they won't either. My aunt Paige's death was a tragedy but it isn't a mystery any of us need solved. The Halliwells have done nothing but good for the past sixty years and they will continue to, whether you decide to investigate or not."

Bianca's eyes narrowed on him in seductive and prodding darkness. Her voice lowered into a sultry tone. "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Mr. Halliwell?"

Chris's green eyes glared back into hers, avoiding the fire and temptation with great difficulty. "No. That will be all, Detective Lawrence."

"I'll be seeing you," she said heels clicking loudly with her exit. Chris waited until the door slammed shut behind her before giving a frustrated groan, running a hand down his face.

"Damn it!" he shouted, punching the stack of boxes to the floor and raking his head of coffee hair.

* * *

_that's the first part of episode two! thanks for all the reviews. Just fyi things might slow down a little as far as updates go with winter break over :( but i will continue to add as quickly as I can write. also be sure to check my profile for updates (i don't think there's anything recently but i'll be sure to tell when there are). Uh... i think that's it. Thanks for the reviews! ~ sammy _


	7. Something to Believe : Segment 2

"I still feel horrible that we couldn't make the funeral," Billie Jenkins said with a sigh, her head bowed in genuine disappointment.

"It's okay honey, you were there in spirit," Phoebe told her reassuringly.

"And you didn't miss much," Piper chuckled lightheartedly.

After two decades to forgive her, both Phoebe and Piper had made amends with Billie Jenkins despite her involvement in the Ultimate Battle. In fact it was safe to admit that the Jenkins and Halliwell families were not just allies but friends, even though for a time it seemed like a blatant impossibility.

"How are Brandon and the kids?" Piper asked.

"Fine," Billie answered with a warm smile. Shortly after the Ultimate Battle the blonde witch had fallen for none other than a mortal paramedic, Brandon Reyes. Brandon had been taken under the wing of the Halliwell men, especially Henry who had plenty advice for a fellow mortal marrying a witch. Together Billie and Brandon had produced two sons; Gage and Carson, both of whom had inherited powers from their mother and carried on their own family legacy of fighting evil, often battling side by side with the Halliwells themselves. "How are the kids taking everything? Especially the twins and Joey?"

Piper's face fell grim. "I really don't know. Joey had a hard time for the first few days and Sam was distraught. I don't think I've seen Kate shed a tear though . . . not since that day at the manor," she said somberly.

"It's just horrible. I still can't believe she's gone . . ." Billie murmured. "Have you gotten any leads on who could have done it?"

"The kids went to the Underworld last night to do some 'interrogating' but after the entire fiasco that followed we didn't have the chance to get any information from them," Phoebe sighed. "As bad as it sounds, I hope it's just some rogue demons we can take care of without a complicated vanquish or cat and mouse chase. I think the girls getting a handle as the Power of Three will be enough to deal with."

"It still amazes me to think that there's an entire new generation of Charmed Ones," Billie said. "I mean from what I've studied it just seemed like a one time deal."

"Trust me, I wish it was that easy," Phoebe replied.

"I'm guessing you're talking about Laura," Billie muttered. She tilted her head to the side, "I really think it will all work out. I've had the pleasure of knowing your daughters since they were babies and I've seen what a great mother you've been. Things may seem hard now but in the end you always wanted strong, independent daughters and that's exactly what you have."

"Too bad it's come around and bit me in the ass," she groaned.

"One day you'll look back and appreciate it," Bill said.

"Getting bit in the ass?" Piper asked.

"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed in outrage while Billie laughed.

"What?"

"Actually I wouldn't doubt if Phoebe grows to enjoy getting bit in the ass," Billie added. "If she doesn't already by her handsome Cupid."

The two women laughed and Phoebe's face flushed in further infuriation. "Stop it! Both of you act your age. Piper, you're fifty-nine years old; you're not supposed to be making cracks about my sex life!"

"Oh learn to take a joke . . ."

"So . . ." Billie began as the laughing subsided. Her eyes became grave and serious. "Have you guys heard the rumors about a new Source?"

"What?" both sisters choked out in unison.

Billie's mouth dropped. "You mean the kids didn't tell you?"

"Why would the kids know?"

"Well, you said they were in the Underworld and that . . . oh," Billie stopped. "I'm sure they were going to pass the information on, it must have just slipped their minds and - - -"

"I am so sick of them keeping things from us!" Phoebe growled.

"A new Source . . ." Piper muttered in devastation. She looked to Billie. "Are you sure?"

"The boys were in the Underworld a few nights ago demon hunting and I guess it's all anyone can talk about down there."

"Damn it," Phoebe whispered. "As if the timing could be worse."

"Is there any good time for the Source of All Evil to make an appearance?" Billie asked.

* * *

"Got it," Kate announced, her finger pressed to a worn page in the thick Book of Shadows. Her hazel eyes absorbed the calligraphy and images in eagerness, her mouth left slightly ajar in her excitement.

Lila rolled off the sofa at her cousin's words and quickly joined her at the book, peering at the open entry in inquisitiveness. "The Brotherhood of Thorn," she mumbled to herself. As she read further she shook her head, captured by astonishment. "I don't believe it . . ."

"An elite group of upper-level demons answering directly to the Source," Kate recited. "Makes sense, the Source is back and so is his personal army of muscle and loyalty."

"Members are hand-picked by the Source and take a blood oath, a life-long pledge of loyalty," Lila took over the reading with as much interest, eyes squinting to focus. "Former members include Raynor, former leader, vanquished May 3, 2001; Tarkin, vanquished May 3, 2001; Vornac, vanquished April 25, 2001 . . ."

"And Belthazor aka Cole Turner," Kate murmured, gaze sliding over to Lila who had seemed to increase in pallor at the words. "Lila, he's dead or stuck in another dimension or whatever. We know that it couldn't be him."

"I know, it's just ironic that the man – no demon – who convinced my mother to become the Queen of Evil is still connected with all of this," Lila replied pacing away.

"Well, evil is evil. Everyone is connected somehow," Kate reasoned slowly. Her hands, however, had begun to quiver as they remained on the Book and she quickly let them fall at her sides, ignoring the twisting of her stomach.

"It's just too much of a coincidence. Besides, mom always said that Paige was the only one who could see through Cole, who knew he was still evil before anyone else. If he wanted to get revenge on someone . . ."

"Lila, he's not alive. He's not capable. Aunt Piper saw it herself," Kate exclaimed in frustration. "Cole Turner is a ghost and looking for him will just waste time in the search for the real killers, who are the new Brotherhood of Thorn. I don't care about past or who was associated with what, I just want to vanquish the bastards who did this and that means not following false leads, including Cole Turner."

"How do you know he isn't a false lead?" Lila asked.

"Because he isn't Belthazor any longer," Kate replied. "Your mom took away his demonic half. After they defeated him as the Source he spent a lifetime bouncing around without purpose. He wouldn't waste time with the Brotherhood."

"You make a point I guess . . ." she mumbled.

"Yeah, well, I just want to finish this. I need to finish this," Kate sighed. "Now, what's the vanquish for these guys?"

"You need the flesh of a member," Lila answered.

"Sounds easy enough . . ." she mused before a familiar jingle rang through her ears. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment and she rolled her eyes.

"Charge?"

"Charge," Kate confirmed. "I'll see you later."

"You're coming back to the manor to read the will, right?"

Kate's face fell for a moment and she swallowed hard. "Yeah, sure," she whispered breathlessly before quickly orbing out of the attic. Lila's brow furrowed in confusion before she gave a sigh of her own and faded into a warm pink glow.

* * *

The phones rang without pause, feet pounded in a flurry along the floor, papers shuffled, doors slammed, and shouts echoed. "We still need a photo for page three!" a loud voice boomed through the room, one of many that continued in an ungraceful harmony as Melinda timidly pushed open the door to the Bay Mirror office.

"Where is that half-page ad that is supposed to be on page seven?" a woman in an unfortunate plaid suit called to no one in particular as she bumped passed Melinda, giving her a glare as she continued on her route. Melinda furrowed her brow in discreet resentment, watching her unknown assailant move about the crowded work place. Behind her a cool voice broke in and her heart warmed with both arousal and alarm.

"You might want to be careful. The closer to press this place comes, the crazy it gets," he warned gently, cracking a good-natured smile.

"Yeah . . ." Melinda managed in a meek drawl. She quickly shook herself out of her daze in embarrassment and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry; I'm just looking for my cousin Sam."

He scanned the room and narrowed his eyes in a careful search. "I think last I saw she was going into Elise's office," he finally answered before turning back to face her. "I didn't get your name..."

"Melinda. Melinda Halliwell," she told him.

"Jack Mason," he replied before offering a hand. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Melinda said with a grin.

"So Halliwell . . . you guys are kind of notorious in San Francisco, aren't you?"

"What? What do you mean?" she choked, her eyes wide at the idea of her new acquaintance already knowing more than he needed. Aware of the family notoriety in the magical community. Aware that they were magically connected at all.

"I mean, first there's your mom's and your aunts' involvement in that legendary FBI undercover case; Phoebe Halliwell is a Bay Mirror celebrity and best selling author; Piper owns the hottest club in town and your brothers run the place . . ."

"You seem to know more about me than someone whom I just met would normally know," Melinda said raising an eyebrow, though her anxiety had evaporated.

Jack's cheeks blushed slightly and he lowered his head in mortification. "I'm sorry; I probably sound like a crazy stalker or something. I just like to do research on the city I'm reporting on and working with Sam and all . . ."

"No, I understand," Melinda smiled.

"Hey cuz, nice of you to stop by the lovely Bay Mirror office," Sam grinned coming up behind the pair. "I see you've met Jack, our favorite sports columnist."

"Speaking of column I should probably get that piece finished before a certain editor has my head," Jack sighed and looked to Melinda, "It was nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," she replied, watching quietly as he disappeared into more Bay Mirror chaos. Sam gave her a nudge, ripping her out of her longing stare.

"He's married …"

"What?" Melinda choked out.

A smile broke across Sam's face. "Just kidding," she grinned. "Thought it'd be funny to see you face though."

"Let's just go get lunch," Melinda groaned, peeling out for the exit. Sam quickly skipped after her.

"In fact," she announced as she caught up with her younger cousin. "Jack is single from what I hear."

"So, where do you want to eat?"

"Why are you ignoring the prospect of a very eligible bachelor?" Sam asked in confusion.

"Because we have too many things going on; a new Power of Three, a new Source of All Evil, crazy family members, and not to mention attempting to have a job and 'normal' life," Melinda replied.

"No, I think you're just making excuses because you're still hurting over that Doug guy," Sam prodded as they began on a stroll down the sidewalk.

"First of all, his name was Duke; second, you're completely wrong. I am over him," Melinda insisted meekly.

"Sounds convincing . . ."

"Okay, maybe I'm not but - - -"

"Melinda, he cheated on you!" Sam shouted in outrage.

"Yes but - - -"

"No! No don't make excuses for him, he was a complete and total ass!" she exclaimed.

"You said you liked him," Melinda said.

"I lied," Sam replied. "And I'm glad that Chris beat the shit out of him. He deserved it."

"You're lucky you don't have older brothers. Wyatt and Chris scare off or threaten any possible suitors."

"Yeah because you have a thing for jerks," Sam choked.

"I do not!"

"Just do me a favor; give Jack a chance. He's a good guy."

"If he's so good, why don't you take him?"

"Because he's not my type. He's a sport columnist. I'm a political commentator. We just don't mesh," Sam explained. "Now, you down for sushi?"

"Ew . . ."

"Great, I thought so."

* * *

"Paging Dr. Dasari, Paging Dr. Dasari . . ."

The intercom echoed above as Laura warily pulled the shirt over her head and slipped off her shoes. She tiredly let her messy auburn locks loose and opened her locker, finding relief only in the fact that she was finished with another shift. While she remained fatigued, she had still surprised herself. She had managed better than expected in the ER environment with her powers back and working. Only once had she unintentionally frozen an operating room and as of yet no more machines had spontaneously combusted thanks to her ability. And part of her got the feeling that she really could do it. She could be a Charmed One and a doctor.

"There you are," a familiar voice cooed. In an instant warm and bulky arms wrapped around her bare front and a pair of lips brushed against the skin on her neck. "I feel like I haven't seen you for days."

"Probably because you haven't," Laura chuckled lightly, slowly turning around in his arms, greeting the tender face of her beau. "Don't you have a surgery or something to be performing Dr. Clement?"

"I'm on my lunch break Dr. Halliwell," he answered back. A grin overtook his mouth. "And I wouldn't mind having you as my main entrée."

The two locked into a kiss and for a moment Laura forgot all troubles and weakness as their lips brushed together. She had been with Dr. James Clement, the successful and dreamy surgeon, for over a year. Their relationship lacked the complication and drama of Laura's day to day life, something she relished in with desperation.

"I've missed you," James said gently at their release. "I've been worried about you too."

Laura shook her head, "You don't need to worry," she assured.

"I don't? Because it's written all over your face," he replied, raising his eyebrows. "Come on; tell me what's been bothering you…"

A gentle sigh escaped her lips. Being a simple, innocent, and powerless mortal, Laura had withheld all information concerning her past, her family, and most importantly her life as a witch from her boyfriend. "It's nothing. It's just my crazy family," she answered.

"You want to talk about it? I bet I can help."

"No, I don't think you can James," Laura chuckled.

He smirked, "Are you just saying that because I'm an only child?"

Laura nearly laughed at his assumption, wishing silently that that was only the case. She suppressed further chuckles as he continued. "I have two cousins you know and my family is less than perfect. Give me some more credit, I bet I can help you solve whatever family problem is making you a near wreck."

"It's just not that easy," Laura murmured.

James gave a sad smile, his cerulean pearls glassed with compassion and longing. "Listen, how about we get dinner tonight? I think we could both use some alone time together."

"I wish I could but we're having another family meeting to read my aunt's will," she told him in disappointment.

"Okay, well then how about tomorrow night? I'll make reservations at the best restaurant in town. How about Italian? The Triquetra is supposed to be good."

"How about . . . how about somewhere else?" Laura asked in apprehension.

"What? Why?"

"Because my aunt Piper owns it and my cousins' work there," she answered.

"Right. Of course they do," he muttered. "Well, no problem, we'll just go somewhere else . . . you know you've never really told me about your family . . ."

"For good reason."

* * *

"Antonio we have two more orders of the Risotto . . ." Wyatt Halliwell's voice trailed off as the kitchen door was pushed open and storming through was his younger brother. "Chris?"

"Hey, I need to talk to you," he replied frantically, grabbing his brother by the arm.

"Wait, wait, wait, is it life or death?"

"No but - - -"

"Okay, well then as you can see, now is not a good time," Wyatt groaned as he swiped a cutting knife from his belt and began chopping vegetables at rapid speed. Chris growled in frustration and quickly approached his brother.

"We have a problem," Chris said.

"Tell me after - - -"

"The SFPD is beginning an investigation on aunt Paige's death," he broke in, emerald eyes deep with worry. Wyatt's cutting stopped and he glanced up in concern.

"What?"

"A Detective, Detective Bianca Lawrence, came by the club to tell me that the police department is suspicious of Paige's cause of death," Chris answered dryly.

"Shit," Wyatt muttered.

"That's the reaction I was looking for," his brother muttered.

"Has she talked to mom or anyone else?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then why would she come to you first?"

"I don't know but it all seems shady to me," Chris replied.

"I think we should talk to the SFPD," Wyatt said. "They can't just send an investigator to the club without contacting us first, can they?"

Chris shrugged, "I'm not sure. But don't you think asking the cops not to investigate will just make them more suspicious?"

"I don't know," Wyatt whispered. "But we need to tell mom and dad and aunt Phoebe. They've dealt with exposure threats before."

"Yeah and look how great that went. They had to fake their own deaths."

"Don't be so pessimistic."

"It's what I do, remember?"

"Right," Wyatt murmured. "I think we also need to tell them about the Source and the Brotherhood of Thorn. Lila gave me a call earlier; I guess Cole Turner was a former member of the Brotherhood."

"Of course he was," Chris groaned. Before he could stress his complaint and troubles further a light ring filled the air and more frustration plagued his face. He looked to Wyatt in annoyance, "I have to get to a charge."

"Okay, I'll see you back at the manor then."

"You think aunt Paige left me anything good?" Chris asked on his way out, the hint of a smile on his face.

"No probably not," Wyatt grinned back.

"Damn. I shouldn't have played all those pranks on her and Henry when we were kids."

"Yeah, exactly. Now who gets the last laugh?"

"Later, man."

"See ya."

* * *

Their strides moved in unison as they made their way down Fourth Avenue, hands held in silent intimacy. "So I guess that's it . . ." Lila's voice trailed off as she finished the elaborate and complicated Halliwell happenings that had taken place in the past days.

"That's it?" her beau choked in response. "Babe, you're a Charmed One. You're the new Power of Three and all you have to say is 'that's it'?"

"I'm just being realistic."

"Since when have you ever been realistic?"

"Since the Power of Three included Laura who wants nothing to do with being a witch," Lila explained.

"I don't think I'll ever understand you Halliwells," he chuckled. "My mother never did and I doubt if I will crack the mystery either."

Gage Carl Jenkins-Reyes was Billie Jenkins' first child, born the same year as Paige's twins. The twenty-six year old was a devoted witch and enthusiastic member of the magical community, constantly waging war against demons and warlocks. Like Lila he was nearly a full-time witch, working part-time as a mechanic to pay the bills. The Jenkins brothers had known, grown up, and gone to school with the Halliwells nearly their entire lives but not until two years earlier had Gage and Lila begun their romance.

"So, you and Carson have heard about the new Source?" Lila asked.

"Yeah," Gage nodded, grey eyes filled with apprehension.

"Any leads on who it is?"

"I went down there today to do some snooping. Someone said the new Source is a distant relative of Zankou . . ."

"Not the Zankou that . . ."

"That's the only Zankou in our Book of Shadows. I guess it would be a good idea to check yours as well," he replied as the pair slowed in front of a tall apartment complex.

Lila smiled, "You want to come up?"

"When have I ever rejected one of your invitations?" he grinned boyishly, his stubble covered cheeks rising with his mouth. In an instant they were stumbling through the front door, lips locked, hands feeling for one another. Lila's fingers tangled through his dark blonde hair and in a short second they had tripped onto the couch, giggling as they continued with passionate kisses and warm lips. In the midst of excitement and heat neither had noticed the front door swing open and the arrival of Lila's roommate.

"Can't you do that in your bedroom?" Melinda asked with a sigh on her way to the kitchen. Both Gage and Lila scrambled from their position, eyes wide on the newly arrived Halliwell.

"H-Hey Mel," Gage greeted.

"Hi Gage," Melinda said dryly as she dropped a stack of work onto the counter. She tilted her head to the side, "Just a question, but can't you do this at your house Gage?"

"I live with my mom," he answered.

"Charming," Melinda muttered.

"Mel . . ." Lila hissed.

"What? You two are the ones making out in the living room – our living room," she replied. In the past Melinda had never withheld her slight contempt for Gage, or Lila's habits of bringing any boyfriend to their apartment. It wasn't that Melinda hated him but maybe deep down she held a secret grudge for all the times Gage had put spiders in her hair during their childhood.

"You know, I'm just going to head out," Gage grinned before kissing Lila one last time. "I'll see you later."

The door clicked closed behind him and Lila gave her cousin a glare. "What? We share this apartment, remember? And we both agreed to certain rules; like no making out on the couch. The living room is everyone's space; your bedroom is Lila and Gage's space."

"Thanks for the refresher," Lila muttered with a roll of her eyes as she moved from the sofa. "Listen, I have to go check the Book of Shadows and then I need to set up one last charge with a blind date and I will meet you back at the manor."

"Right, are you sure that's not code for sneaking over to Billie's house to see your ever so amiable and successful Gage?"

"No, and I resent that," Lila snapped before fading out.

* * *

"_And then what did he do? Did he train you? Did he rehearse you? Did he tell you exactly what to do, what to say? You were a very apt pupil too, weren't you? You were a very apt pupil! Well, why did you pick on me? Why me?"_

The black and white film blared in the background as Lucy and Joey remained seated on the couch, a bowl of popcorn between them. Their Alfred Hitchcock marathon had led them into the late hours of the afternoon and by the time Vertigo had begun playing, neither had moved from their morning positions. In fact, as the classic movie continued in front of them, Lucy attempted to throw kernels into her cousin's open mouth. "So, you still dating that one girl?" she asked.

"What one girl?"

"The one with the red hair and the . . ."

"Oh Rebecca?" Joey asked as he swallowed down a piece of popcorn. "No we broke up."

"Good, she was a bitch."

"Lucy!"

"What she was! She totally hated me," Lucy replied. "She always gave me the nastiest looks."

"Probably because you started it."

"Joseph, I'm surprised you would accuse me of such a thing."

"I know, crazy right?" he chuckled. "What about you? Still seeing that hippie kid at Stanford?"

"His name is Phil Cowlings and he's not a hippie, he's a poet," Lucy replied.

"You say poet, I say guy who eats cereal in his tie-dye boxers all day drawing pictures in a notebook."

"You met him once!"

"And he made quite an impression."

"He was just trying to get inspired…" she muttered. "And you just don't like him because he's not one of your macho jocko friends who can hardly even read poetry or begin to comprehend Phil's metaphors."

"Damn you got me there. How Phil can compare your auburn locks to smoking a joint is beside me," Joey replied. Lucy grabbed a pillow in return and smacked it across his face. He nearly moved in retaliation before the heavy front door below seemed to slam open and Phoebe's footsteps thundered up the stairs.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she bellowed in anger.

"Tell you what?" Lucy asked in confusion as Phoebe entered the living room.

"About the new Source," her mother answered bitterly.

"There's a new Source?" Lucy and Joey asked in unison.

"Okay, so I guess I'm angry at the wrong people," Phoebe murmured in defeat as she threw her purse to the empty armchair.

"Why are we always the last ones to know things?" Lucy growled.

"Well, honey I can't answer the question for you, but your lack of knowledge sure makes me feel better," Phoebe sighed. "At least your aunt and I aren't the _last _ones to know."

"You're not helping anything," Joey replied.

"Right, sorry," she apologized. Phoebe's eyes narrowed in analysis, "Have you guys moved at all since I left?"

"Once or twice," he answered with a grin.

"How long has there been a new Source? How'd he come back? Who is he exactly? Does it have something to do with aunt Paige's death?" Lucy asked at rapid speed, questions coming quicker than she could speak.

Phoebe sighed, "I can't answer all your questions but I can tell you that now is the time to be careful," she said. Her eyes narrowed on her youngest nephew. "Honey, we've told you before you need to be wearing your amulet at all times. Especially now."

Joey groaned, "Aunt Pheebs, it's a pain in the ass. The thing is heavy and clunky and when people ask why the hell I have a big stone necklace what am I supposed to say? It protects me from demons?"

"Yeah, Joe, tell them that, I'm sure it will go splendidly," Lucy quipped with a roll of her eyes.

"Do you have to be so insensitive?" he hissed bitterly.

"Insensitive? I am the most sensitive - - -"

"Right and I'm the most powerful being on Earth. You don't even know what it's like to have to be a mortal surrounded by all this magic, fearing for my life on a twenty-four hour/seven day a week basis without any way to protect my family or even myself," Joey exclaimed, his face tensing with sudden anger. He shook his head and quickly jerked up from the couch, making his way for the staircase.

"Joe, honey . . ." Phoebe stopped as his footsteps thudded down the steps and the front door marked his exit.

"I guess I hit a nerve," Lucy mumbled softly.

"I'd say that's right," her mother agreed taking a seat on the couch next to her. Lucy sighed and rested her head against Phoebe's shoulder.

"Everyone is so different now that aunt Paige is gone . . . _everything_ is so different," she whispered. "I don't understand why it all had to happen like this."

"I don't either baby," Phoebe replied gently.

"Do you think it will go back to normal again?"

"Normal I can't guarantee," she answered. "But I can guarantee that everything will be okay again. It always ends up okay . . ."

* * *

Shadow surrounded her and damp adrenaline cloaked her frail form. Her fists remained clenched and her forearms tensed with muscle. Her shoes, tattered standard police issue boots that had once belonged to her father, drug through the gravel and warm stone floor beneath her. They were her demon hunting shoes.

She had been taught better than this. Ever since they were toddlers it had been instilled in all the Halliwell children by their mothers to never go to the Underworld alone. Aside from that her uncle Leo had advised his children and nieces and nephews to never let emotions dictate a demon hunt.

Now against all she knew, all she had been taught, all she had abided by, Kate stalked the tunnels of hell armed with only a vendetta.

There was part of her that longed for a fight. Part of her that longed for pain. Part of her that only wanted to forget and to do that she found it necessary to immerse herself in the most dire of odds. In the most foolish of situations.

The fireballs would fly, her skin would splinter, bruises would form, and blood would spill but it no longer would do damage. For that evening in the Underworld for Kate was already broken.

* * *

_hello readers! so i should apologize for not updating in quite sometime. i really do like this story and have a few storylines and arcs that i hope to utilize, it's just a matter of finding time and continuing to write and being inspired. i really hope to at least get done with this episode soon. thanks for all those who have continued to read and i appreciate your feedback. i hope to continue hearing from you in the near future._


	8. Something to Believe : Segment 3

Her feet created a consistent rhythm with each step as she paced impatiently along the hardwood floors. Her fingers were entangled in frustration and every breath seemed to come out as an infuriated huff.

"Getting angry won't do you any good, Piper," her husband reasoned as he leaned back on the sofa. He watched her helplessly with his feet propped on the coffee table, eyes furrowed in his own secret irritation. "It won't do anyone any good."

"I just can't understand what the hell they are thinking these days!" she exclaimed and like the breaking of a dam her emotions came flooding forward. "Not telling me there is a Source of All Evil! I'm their mother for God's sake. I don't care how old they think they are but there are things that you tell your mother! How hard would it have been to say 'Hey, mom, heads up; Satan is back'?"

"They probably didn't want to worry you," Leo said.

"No. They probably didn't want me to get involved, just like they didn't when they went to the Underworld after the funeral," Piper snapped. "But I won't have it. They aren't going to cut me out of this!"

The doorbell chimed abruptly cutting off her rant and she groaned bitterly at its arrival. "I'll go get it," Leo told her in exasperation. "Why don't you go to the kitchen and take a lap . . ."

"I don't need to take a lap," she hissed.

"Piper . . ." he warned.

"Oh fine," she growled before stomping off.

Leo pulled in a long, calming breath as he stepped into the front hall, prepared for a surely eventful and unruly family gathering. It was basically guaranteed in the next hour that ensued there would be screaming, bickering, and name-calling. It wasn't that things had ever been in control before but Leo was beginning to find the recent predicament ridiculous. The Halliwell passion was running a little too high for everyone's good.

Before the doorbell could be pushed again, Leo opened the front door, finding himself faltering with surprise when he spotted Laura on the other side. "Hey," he managed to greet without revealing his bewilderment. He knew that Laura would show up to the gathering but she was usually the least willing and most unlikely to arrive first.

"Hi uncle Leo," she mumbled before practically falling into his arms for an embrace. He voluntarily squeezed her in one of his infamous hugs, swallowing down more shock as he did so.

"You okay, kiddo?" he asked as she pulled back. He studied her face. It was an understatement to say that she was tiered or stressed. She seemed completely haggard. The color in her face was a little less bright and her eyes were sunk with sadness.

"I don't know," Laura huffed dramatically, running a hand through her brown curls that had seemed to lose some of their bounce in the past twenty-four hours. She shuffled aimlessly into the front hall, seeming completely lost in the manor that she had spent so much of her childhood in.

"You want to talk about it?" Leo asked as he placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her toward the living room.

"There's not much to talk about," Laura answered. "I just don't know what to do."

"Do about what?"

"About everything," she replied distantly as she collapsed down onto the couch. She buried her head into her hands. "About being a witch. About being Charmed. About accepting my powers and being a doctor. About completely changing my life!"

Leo watched worriedly as she continued her rant. He could sense only familiarity from the situation after years of dealing with both Piper and Phoebe. Laura was about to have a Halliwell-esque breakdown. "I didn't ask for this," Laura blurted. "And I don't want to be selfish! I'm not a selfish person! I'm not right? You've known me my whole life uncle Leo, I'm not selfish! Am I?"

"No," he answered with a quick shake of his head. It was the only safe response.

"Then why does everyone hate me?" she cried out.

"No one hates you - - -"

"Lila hates me. Mom hates me. The family hates me for abandoning them - - -"

"Laura, honey, no one hates you and no one blames you for the past," Leo assured gently. "And as for the future, that's what we're all here to help you figure out."

She hyperventilated uneasily as he spoke, starting on a notorious panic attack; ones that had been plaguing her since she was ten years old. "I can't breathe," she whined to her uncle.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked worried.

"I'm going to puke," she answered before bolting up from her spot and rushing past for the bathroom. She nearly slammed into Piper on her route, before continuing onward.

"What's with her? Is she okay?" Piper asked her husband with a cocked eyebrow.

"You know, I'm not really sure," Leo answered.

"Okay, well, I want you to know that I took a lap and I'm still pissed," she revealed with fire in her brown eyes. Leo opened his mouth to speak but his efforts went incomplete as the source of Piper's bane soon orbed in. "Excellent timing Christopher Perry, I was just contemplating how much I can take before I decide to disown you."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell did I do now?" Chris growled in irritation.

"Oh don't you use that tone with me - - -"

"Piper," Leo tried helplessly, nudging her away from their youngest son. "Why don't you go check on Laura?"

"No! Why don't you stop protecting him," Piper replied. She folded her arms across her chest. "After our little talk this morning, maybe there's something you want to tell me, Chris?"

He shrugged just as stubbornly, giving a cheeky smile. "Sorry mother, I think I hear a charge calling," he quipped before swirling away in a shower of orbs. Piper's mouth dropped in complete outrage and Leo tensed with apprehension.

"He did not just do that!" Piper squealed. "Christopher Perry get your ass back down here this instant!"

"My God, we're yelling already?" Lucy grumbled as she entered with the aid of crutches and Phoebe at her side.

"I thought we agreed to not lose it this time," Phoebe reminded her elder sister.

"It sounded good when we thought of it, but I just don't think we were being very realistic," Piper quipped.

Solving the problem was another swirl of orbs. When the show of blue and white lights fell, Piper's three children were revealed. Wyatt was holding Chris by the shirt, a bemused look on his face, while Melinda seemed to be less than entertained by her brothers' antics. "Looking for this?" Wyatt asked their mother, shoving Chris forward.

"Thanks Wyatt," Piper grinned sardonically. "Now I can scold both of you at once."

Wyatt's face fell in confusion and he glanced between his brother and mother. "What is she talking about?"

"She knows dude," Chris groaned.

"I told you we should have just told her," Melinda scoffed before leaving her brothers to the wrath of their mother.

"Told _us._ You should have told us," Phoebe added, taking a stand by her sister.

"What is this? An ambush? I thought we are supposed to be reading a will," Lila said, joining the group of family members in the living room. She was greeted by her mother's firm stare.

"Your aunt Billie told us about the new Source," Phoebe revealed.

"Of course she did," Lila sighed. "Me and her are going to have to have a talk…"

"Do not blame this on Billie. You all should have been forthcoming with this information," Piper said, arms folded tightly across her chest. "After everything that happened with the funeral, you still haven't learned that keeping things from us only ends up being problematic."

"When were you planning on telling us?" Phoebe asked. There was silence and Piper's scowl deepened.

"That's what I thought . . ." she nearly growled.

A final swirl of orbs flashed into the middle of the tryst, breaking up the momentum of Piper and Phoebe's rage.

"Hey, sorry we're late," Sam apologized. Joey was at her side, a forlorn look on his face. He proceeded to stride for the living room, passing his uncle who gave him a gentle pat on the back. Sam and the rest of the gathering remained oblivious, however, as she continued speaking. "I hate to be insensitive, but we go to press in an hour, so I really need to be back at the office…is everyone here?"

Phoebe sighed. "I don't know. I haven't seen Laura show yet," she murmured.

"I'm right here," the eldest of Phoebe's brood said feebly, stumbling from the hall and heading for the living room. Wyatt shrugged and followed after her, and slowly Lila and Chris mirrored the same.

"We're still going to talk about this later," Piper warned them before they left earshot. Sam raised her eyebrows at her aunt.

"You found out about the source?"

"Yes," Phoebe answered.

"Awesome," she mumbled. A small frown pulled on her mouth. "Do you think that it has anything to do with . . ."

"It's too early to tell honey," Phoebe whispered, squeezing her niece's shoulder in comfort.

"Right," Sam nodded. She cleared her throat as she scanned the room. "Where's Kate?"

* * *

She panted heavily, the breath not coming fast enough to sustain her throbbing lungs. Her back was damp with sweat, her face sprayed with a light mist of perspirant and grime. The skin of her left knuckles had been rubbed raw and a generous scrape along her shoulder slowly bled down and stained her jacket.

Fireballs ricocheted off of her hiding spot, bouncing back toward their owners and continuously slamming into the rock wall she crouched behind. She cursed herself. This was what she got for snooping around the Underworld by herself. But this was what she had to do. Thrusting herself into the middle of danger and uncertainty was the only sure way to make her forget. The only way she could retain the part of herself she had lost.

Kate wasn't sure where she had gotten the idea but she was holding firm to it. It was the only idea that was keeping her grounded. The truth was she felt like breaking. The pain was strong and thick and she resented every ounce of it crawling beneath her skin. She had refused to break before. She refused the tears and the sobs. Now, however, she could hardly imagine such emotion. Now she could hardly think of tears. Now she truly couldn't break because if she did, she knew better than anyone that there was no coming back.

A voice croaked behind her. "You're far from home witch."

His face was hidden behind the shadows but his voice was smooth and velvet. Human. He could have had her easily, sneaking up on her backside as he had. She spun to face him, eyeing the energy ball he tossed in his hand.

"Energy ball!" she called. As soon as the object was in her control she hurled it back at the man.

He easily caught the energy ball in his palm and cleared his throat. "You shouldn't be here," he said gently.

"Who are you?"

"Leave Sam," he warned.

"I'm not Sam. I'm K . . ." she stopped herself. "Tell me; who are you?"

"Someone who doesn't want to see you do something stupid," he answered. "Now get out of here before I have to kill you."

Footsteps and voices of other demons began to echo off the walls. Their snarls grew louder with each passing moment and Kate glared at her defeat. "I'm not done with you," she hissed.

"No. Unfortunately this is just the beginning," he cooed back.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see."

She watched as the silhouette shimmered into the air and gave a dissatisfied humph. Folding her arms across her chest and unhappily admitting to herself that she was about to be outnumbered, she orbed out.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Wyatt Halliwell asked his cousin, watching as she plopped into a seat next to him. Her usually glowing complexion had gone pale and her hazel eyes were sunken in with fatigue.

"Just a panic attack," Laura muttered.

"You still have those?" Chris asked, a chuckle escaping him. Wyatt elbowed him in the ribs but tried to suppress his own grin.

"Yes, I still have those," she groaned.

"All this witch business have you out of sorts?" Lila asked her sister.

"I'm not in the mood Lila," she replied.

"I'm not trying to bait you into an argument. I'm just asking a question," Lila snapped.

"Okay, well, the answer is yes. I'm a little stressed that the future of good depends on us," Laura said shortly.

"Have you made a decision?" Wyatt asked.

"What is there to decide? We're the power of three, no choice involved," Laura muttered bitterly.

"You mean you're going to do it?" Lila suddenly asked.

"Do what?"

"We're going to be the power of three?"

"I never said that," Laura answered.

"Right, I should have known better," Lila hissed with a roll of her eyes. "Wouldn't want to accept our destinies and save the world…"

"Okay, seriously, I've had a really bad twenty-four hours so if you could just lay off with your normal crap for twenty minutes I would really appreciate it!" Laura bellowed, causing the entire living room to go silent. Even Lila was struck quiet and her older sister cleared her throat, offering a meek, "thank you."

"She's not answering her phone," Sam groaned as she entered the room where the rest of the family was gathered. "I think we should just go ahead without her."

"Are you sure?" Leo asked. "We can wait or do it another day."

"She's probably busy with a charge," Sam said. "Besides, she didn't seem to keen on the idea anyway."

"All right, if you're sure," he nodded.

"I'm sure."

Leo Wyatt gave a careful scan of the room. All his children were gathered. All his family. Joey, Lucy, Melinda, and Piper sat on one couch. Laura, Wyatt, and Lila on the other. Chris, Phoebe and Sam remained on their feet and he had grudgingly taken a seat in a chair at the head of the group. Their eyes were heavy upon him and suddenly his heart weighed down with familiar sadness that had haunted their family for the past days following Paige's death. With a somber clear of his throat, Leo adjusted the thick packet of papers in his hands and the reading glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"I met with the lawyer this morning," he said. His voice was gentle and soft. It lacked the authority usually necessary to keep the large group of Halliwells tame for in this moment they were completely captivated by the prospect of what was to come next. "Paige wrote an extensive will two years ago and filed it away for the event of her death."

"To start with the basics, the house at 6462 Springbrooke Road is to go to her three children; Katherine, Samantha, and Henry Jr. They are free to do with the house whatever they wish. In the event of the home being sold, the profit is to be split equally between them. As for the assets in Paige's accounts, they are also to be equally rationed between her three children."

Leo glanced up from the paper and sniffled, finding that emotion in the room had surfaced quickly. It wasn't as devastating as the funeral but it seemed that the will was another dense reminder that Paige was gone. He turned the page to continue.

"Most of this is financial and bank records. This can all be sorted out when you go…" he said glancing at Sam. Her cheeks were beaded with tears and her eyes were stained red but she gave a firm nod in understanding. Phoebe squeezed her niece's hand as Leo went on. "There are a few specific items that Paige wanted to make sure were distributed. Her engagement and wedding rings are to go to Henry J. Mitchell Jr. Her diamond necklace is to go to Katherine Pandora Mitchell. Her wedding dress is to go to Samantha Piper Mitchell.

"The rest of her belongings are again left in the trust of her three children. She also specifically mentioned a trunk of artifacts in the attic which are not to be sold but instead distributed however her children please.

"Lastly, Paige left letters to each of her children, her nieces, and her nephews. She also left letters to her sisters," Leo finished with a sad smile as he glanced up from the paper. The family remained quiet as he shuffled through the information in his hands and then came up with a bundle of envelopes. He carefully took out the one that was labeled with his name before passing the stack around. In silence each member of the family took their letter, somberness still etched into their faces. After they had all been distributed, everyone sat, staring at the envelopes. No one moved. No one made a sound. No one tore their envelopes.

"We don't have to open them now," Leo murmured.

"Yeah," Phoebe managed softly.

* * *

"Another one," Kate called drearily to the bald bartender as she slammed down the shot glass. Her auburn locks were still a mess from her scuffle in the Underworld and she kept her leather jacket zipped to hide the evidence of her recent battle.

"You might want to slow down," the bartender warned as he poured her another shot of whisky.

"I appreciate your concern but it's really not any of your business to tell me to slow down," Kate replied.

"You're a Halliwell aren't you?" he asked.

"No. I'm a Mitchell," she said with a hiccup. "My cousins are the Halliwells."

"Right," he grumbled. "Well, just take it easy, okay?"

"Whatever," Kate rolled her eyes before downing her drink. "Another…"

* * *

"I know it may seem like an insensitive time to bring it up, but there's no use avoiding it," Phoebe Halliwell began, scanning the faces in the living room. "The Source is back. The Power of Three is back. We need to be on the same page…"

"As mad as we are that you didn't tell us everything, there's no more time to be angry," Piper added gently.

"So, anyone want to speak up?" Phoebe asked.

"Gage said he heard the new Source is a relative of Zankou," Lila said.

"Evil is always related. It doesn't make a difference in this case," Wyatt murmured.

"What about mom? How do we know this doesn't have something to do with her?" Sam spoke up.

"Well . . . we actually found out something else when we were down in the Underworld . . ." Wyatt said. His gaze drifted up to his aunt and mother. "The demon we interrogated said that the Brotherhood of Thorn was responsible for aunt Paige's death."

"The what?" Phoebe choked out.

"Brotherhood of Thorn. Cole Turner's old coven…" Lila replied. "Kate and I looked it up this morning."

"And now that we're spilling our guts in sharing time here, everyone should know that the San Francisco PD is opening an investigation into aunt Paige's death," Chris added. "A detective came by the club this morning."

A collective groan echoed in the living room.

"What a cluster fuck," Lucy murmured.

"Anyone else have catastrophic news while we're at it?" Piper asked in her usual sardonic nature. "Anymore demonic ex-husbands or apocalyptic events we should know about?"

"I think I'm going to puke," Laura replied, suddenly teleporting out in a pink flash.

"She still does that?" Sam asked.

"Apparently," Lila rolled her eyes.

"All right, well, unfortunately that's beside the point," Phoebe murmured. "As far as the Brotherhood of Thorn goes, we vanquished them nearly twenty years ago."

"There's no saying that they can't return," Wyatt replied. "Anything is possible with a new source."

"What about the investigation? What did he say Chris?" Piper asked her youngest son.

"Well, _she _said that 'there is something very wrong with our family' and she is willing to do whatever necessary to rat us out," he answered. "Apparently we're going to have to be careful."

"We're going to have to get our stories straight for when we talk to the police," Leo said.

"This is bullshit. Can they even do this?" Lila snapped.

"They're the law, they can do as they wish," Leo answered his niece. "But we have nothing to worry about, okay? They aren't going to find any evidence and we're not going to draw attention to ourselves. Let's just stay calm about all this in the next few weeks and not do anything brash."

"Well said," Wyatt agreed with his father.

"As for the Brotherhood of Thorn, we've defeated them before. They shouldn't be anything out of the ordinary," Phoebe added. She watched as the faces of her nieces and nephews and daughters slowly began to ease of all tension.

"And the Source?" Lucy mumbled.

"Well, we all know that's a different story," Piper said. "Let's just deal with one thing at a time."

"Code for we're screwed," Lucy quipped.

"Lucy…"

"Come on Lou not what we need to hear right now," Wyatt chuckled as he rose from the couch.

"Where are you going?" Piper asked.

"I have to get back to work. The restaurant isn't going to run itself. Not during the dinner rush at least," he answered as he adjusted his chef's jacket. He bent and pecked a kiss to his mother's cheek, then turned to face the rest of the family. "Let's listen to dad for once; don't do anything brash. Yeah, I'm talking about you Chris. And Lila too."

"Hey!" both heckled in outrage.

"You know where to find me," Wyatt smirked before disappearing in a blue glow of orbs.

Sam gave a deep sigh. "I should get going too. I'm already late and we go to press in less than an hour," she said.

"Are you sure you have to go honey?" Piper asked. She worried most ardently for her deceased sister's children as of late. She knew the difficulty of coping and had experienced the problems first hand of not mourning properly. The last thing any of the Mitchell children needed was further heartache.

"Yeah, if Elise is giving you a hard time you just let me know," Phoebe added with authority. Piper nodded her head in agreement.

A light chuckle escaped Paige's youngest daughter. "No, Elise is fine. She told me to take as much time as I needed," Sam assured. "It's just easier if I keep living my normal life…well, as normal as it was before all this."

"Okay, well, only if you're sure. You can't rush these things sweetie," Piper said, rising from the couch and wrapping her in a hug. Phoebe also gave Sam an embrace.

"Call me if anything comes up," Sam told them.

"Here," Leo spoke up, stepping forward. He handed her another envelope. "Give Kate her letter if you see her . . ."

"I will," she nodded.

"Hey, mind giving me a lift?" Melinda spoke up, wiping the dampness off her cheeks. "I can't take the sentiment in this room much longer."

"Yeah of course," Sam said.

Melinda sighed, "You were wrong aunt Pheebs," she told her gently.

"Wrong about what?" Phoebe asked.

"This whole empath thing; it really doesn't get any easier," Melinda confessed.

"I promise Mel, one day it won't feel so bad," Phoebe said, giving a sympathetic smile.

"If you say so," she chuckled.

"We'll see you later," Sam said before the two swirled into orbs and left the room.

Piper gave a long sigh and looked around at the remaining family members. "Well, if anyone is hungry I can throw something together for dinner . . ."

Her words were cut off by the abrupt ring of a cell phone. Chris gave his mother a guilty smile as he pulled the device from his pocket. "Sorry mom, hold that thought," he said flipping open the phone, rising from the couch, and heading out. "Hello?"

"Does anyone in this house ever have time for a quality family meal?" Piper groaned.

"I do aunt Piper," Joey grumbled with little enthusiasm.

"Well, it sounds like a death sentence but it'll work," Piper replied. "What about you girls? Can I count you in?"

"I actually have a few charges I should get to," Lila said.

"Yeah and take my plate out," Laura grumbled as she staggered back into the room. "I don't know if I can stomach food."

"Are you feeling better honey?" Phoebe asked, running a cool hand along her daughter's cheek.

"Sure. I think I am just going to go home," she answered.

"Me too," Lila spoke up.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Phoebe cut in. She set eyes on each daughter, her face plagued with foreboding anticipation. "We have to talk."

"Who does?" Lucy asked.

"We do. You three do," Phoebe answered. "You think we can avoid this forever?"

"No, but I was hoping we could," Laura murmured, flopping down onto the sofa next to her youngest sister.

"Hey, Joey, why don't you come help me in the kitchen," Leo suggested, sensing a serious conversation.

Joey rolled his eyes. "I'm not seven. I can see where we're not wanted…" he said, following his uncle into the kitchen.

After the boys vacated the scene, the remaining Halliwells exchanged patient glances. Phoebe cleared her throat. "There's not much to say. You all know you're the Power of Three," she said.

"The question is where we go from here," Piper added.

"You're asking us?" Lucy scoffed.

"Yes, we're asking you," Phoebe replied. "You three are the only ones who can decide what to do next. We can't decide for you. We can't make you fulfill your destiny."

"Well, you know where I stand," Lila spoke up. "I'm willing and ready to be the next Charmed Ones…"

"Laura what about you, sweetie? We haven't heard anything from you since the attic," Piper said gently.

"I don't know," Laura whispered. She shook her head somberly. "I just . . . I just don't think I'm ready."

"There's no time to be ready," Lila said. "We either accept this now or we decline our destiny."

"It's not that simple, Lila."

"But it is!" she snapped. "Laura, it's so simple that I can't fathom how a genius such as yourself can't comprehend it. We are the future of good! We are the only ones who can defeat the source! We have been blessed as the Charmed Ones!"

"Right and where do you factor in the part where we sacrifice our careers and our loved ones and we risk our lives against evil for the small probability that we may win!" Laura argued back. "Look how easily you forget how much pain being Charmed has caused this family. What about mom and dad? What about aunt Piper and Leo? What about aunt Prue and aunt Paige?"

"So you're scared, is that it? You're afraid of dying?" Lila shouted.

"No! It's not that I'm afraid Lila, it's that you think this is a game! You think everything is so simple and easy when it's not," she growled.

"Nothing is ever easy Laura! It's no reason to forsake who we are supposed to be or help the people that need us!"

"I help people who need me everyday, Lila! What about them? What about the hospital?" Laura spat. "What about our lives? What about the destiny we created for ourselves? I spent eight years in medical school. I worked my ass off to have a normal life and I still manage to save people everyday without magic!"

"If your medical career is the only reason you can come up with for not being the Power of Three then you are more selfish than I thought," Lila said in utter disgust.

"Feel free to step in anytime you want…" Lucy murmured to her mother and aunt. The two veteran witches only shook their heads in the quiet.

"No, I think this is where we take our leave," Phoebe replied.

"What?" the three young women asked in outrage.

"You three need to figure this out on your own. We're not going to hold your hand through it any longer," Phoebe explained. "Power of Three or not I don't care. Lila is right though; we don't have much time to keep going in circles like this. There is a new Source. There are new threats. We need the Charmed Ones, yes, but there is no point if you three can't make it work."

"Shall we?" Piper muttered to her sister, rising from the couch and gesturing toward the kitchen. Phoebe nodded.

"Keep it clean you three," she warned her daughters before slipping out of sight with her sister. Phoebe followed Piper into the kitchen, propelled only by pure will power. She wanted nothing more than to mediate between her daughters, to make their decision for them. To help them be the power of three. But she and Piper had come to a grim conclusion; only the girls could dictate the future, much like they had decided their own over twenty years earlier.

"How'd it go in there?" Leo asked his sister in law.

"Well, it's still going," Phoebe replied. "We made the mistake of thinking they could handle this on their own . . . Of course it's not too late to go back in there . . ."

"No, don't even think about it," Piper told her. She eased into a spot at the table where Joey seemed locked in a deep train of thought. She placed a hand on his and gave it a gentle rub. "You all right sweetheart?"

Joey's chocolate eyes dragged over to meet hers and a frown pulled at his mouth. "I'm fine," he murmured. Beneath him on the table was his letter from Paige, still sealed in its white envelope.

"You want to talk about it?" Phoebe asked, joining the pair. Her face saddened. "You bolted out of the house pretty quick today…"

"I'm sorry. I was being stupid," he apologized.

"You weren't being stupid," Phoebe assured him. She squeezed his shoulder with affection. "We know it's not easy for you Joe."

"Is there anything we can do?" Piper whispered. If Joey wasn't mistaken there were tears glossing her eyes. Piper was always of the most sympathetic in the family despite her tendency to be dry and blunt. It was no wonder Melinda had inherited empath abilities.

"No, I'm fine, really aunt Piper," Joey nodded, swallowing down a pit of tears. His cheeks ran rose with a blush. "I don't need you guys all worrying about me. There are other people in this family with it just as rough. No need for my own personal pity party."

"But Joe . . ."

"Aunt Phoebe…" he cut her off with a slight smirk. "I'm fine. Nothing time won't heal."

"Just as stubborn as your mother, aren't you?" Piper chuckled.

"Stubborn? Nah, not in this family," Joey teased.

After a few short laughs, Leo spoke up. "Well, I hate to be a downer, but there is absolutely nothing in the fridge except a few Christmas leftovers…"

"I guess I really haven't had time to go to the store," Piper groaned.

"I know, so I was thinking we could go to dinner?" Leo suggested with a smirk. "I think we could all use a night out of the house after today…"

"Amen brother," Phoebe grinned widely. "Oh wait, what about the girls?"

"They're grown women. We can leave them here while they work through their issues," Piper said.

"Great," Leo smiled. The beloved father, husband, and uncle, was always desperate to help. Unfortunately it led to more frustration than success on his end when it came to magical maladies, but in most crisis, such as the current, he always came through, and each time his beam widened at the thought of helping his family.

"What about Chris? Is he still here? He should come too," Piper said, scanning the room.

"No, he left after that phone call," Joey answered, still seated at the table.

"Oh," Piper shrugged. She glanced down at her nephew. "Are you coming?"

"I think I rather stay here if that's all right," he answered. "I don't have much of an appetite."

"Joey, honey, you should come with us," Phoebe said.

"I'm not that hungry. I just need some time to think," Joey replied. He gave a smile. "Besides, someone ought to be here in case our three favorite witches get out of hand…"

"You better call if they do," Piper told him, pecking a kiss to the top of his head as she made her way for the back door. Leo followed her out, ruffling Joey's hair as he passed, and Phoebe brought up the rear pinching her nephew's cheek, causing him to squirm in his chair. When they said their last goodbyes and the door swung closed behind them Joey gave a long sigh. Then with a trembling hand he reached for the white envelope and carefully pealed open the last thing his mother had left him.

In slow silence he unfolded the pieces of paper and devoured the first lines. His heart raced as he read and tears touched the edges of his eyes. _"To my dearest son," _it said. He could almost hear Paige's voice in his ear. And just as his heart warmed at all she had left him, a loud shriek from the foyer interrupted, and the letter dropped to the table. All he could do was tense as Lila's loud voice echoed through the manor: "Demon!"

* * *

Chris Halliwell strode with authority toward the tattered establishment down the road from P3. The rusty bar had been there since he could remember. The owner wasn't a keen fan of the Halliwells, considering the fact that the club stole most of his business. Over the years, however, Chris and the bartender Vince had worked out a little give and take, for each rowdy customer and bubbling drunk that stumbled into the club, Chris was sure to send down the street to O'Callaghan's Saloon.

Now as Chris avoided the begging homeless who lined the alleyway of the dreary part of town, he could only think of how all the good feelings he had once had about the bar were soon turning into bad ones. Vince's call had him scrambling from the manor and as he pushed open the door he only proceeded with more urgency. "Where is she?" he asked Vince immediately.

"Over there," the bald bartender replied, pointing a finger toward a corner booth.

"Kate?" Chris choked.


	9. Something to Believe : Segment 4

At the familiar rattle of the backdoor, Lila Patience Halliwell gave a long sigh. Disgruntled lines pulled down her lovely round face; a face that had been stealing hearts since her birth twenty-four years earlier. It would be wrong to say that she was lovelier than the rest. All of the Halliwell daughters had been graced with a trademark beauty but Lila was something completely different. Yes, there were still traces of the Halliwells, but so much of her seemed to embody Coop's out of this world allure. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders in chocolate waterfalls, moving with grace even if she had just crawled out of bed. Her lips were full and glassy. Her cheeks were always smooth and touched with a light blush. And her eyes were large portals of russet fantasy, identical to Coop's glowing gems. Yes, it was almost as if Lila's looks had been simply another supernatural gift.

Now, however, as she glared down her elder sister, her heavenly sparkle seemed to fade. "I'm leaving," she said, her heels clicking against the wood floor as she stalked out of the living room.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Lucy shot up, leaning on the couch to balance her battered leg.

"Yeah, we're not done here. Mom said we can't leave until we figure this out," Laura replied.

"Well, from the sounds of it, mom and everyone else left," Lila said. She stopped in the foyer, grabbing her coat from its hook, listening as her sister's footsteps came to a halt a few feet away from her.

"You're just going to walk away?"

"Yeah, taking a page out of my big sister's book," Lila scoffed. She adjusted her hair and locked stares with Laura. "Listen, there's no point arguing anymore. We keep going in circles. I'm tiered and we haven't made any progress. This is all on you now. You have to figure this out because I am done, Laura. Make a decision so it can be over . . ."

"But it's not," Laura murmured. "It's not over. It never will be. Whatever I choose will follow me for the rest of my life. If I decide not to do this, you'll-you'll hate me. I lose my sister. That's not a fair choice."

"Well, what do you expect? You expect me to be fine with you denying my destiny? Because you're not just choosing for you Laura. You're choosing for me, you're choosing for Lucy, and you're choosing for the rest of the family. Not to mention the future of good. So sorry if I am less than thrilled about you choosing a normal life!"

Her argument went interrupted as an interloper suddenly shimmered into the foyer. Lila's wide eyes glistened with alarm and Laura furrowed her brow in confusion, unable to spot the demon who was preparing a fireball behind her. "Demon!" Lila bellowed.

With not a second to spare, Laura turned to find a flaming sphere inches from her face. On instinct she put up her hands and froze the object before it could inflict damage. Lila reacted just as quickly and as soon as the fireball was rendered motionless she sent it back at its owner with a well measured use of telekinesis. The demon easily dodged it, cheekily stepping out of the way, allowing it to smash into the wall behind him.

"Hey in here!" Lucy barked with urgency.

Both sisters exchanged glances of apprehension before simultaneously teleporting out in identical pink flashes and landing in the living room at their sister's side. A burly demon had a forearm wrapped around Lucy's neck and another stood with a fireball a short distance away.

There was a moment of complete stillness that was much shorter in actuality than it felt. But in that moment the three sisters exchanged knowing glances and secret nods. Just as the demon from the foyer entered to join his associates, Lucy slammed an elbow into the adversary who had a firm hold on her. Lila quickly kicked the same demon in the back of the head, freeing her younger sister from his grasp. In the mean time Laura sent a blast at one of the two burly demons, sending him thudding to the floor. Simultaneously his partner threw a fireball toward Laura's direction. She ducked down to the floor, looking up just in time to see Lila strike him with a telekinetic attack.

Despite her lack of balanced mobility, Lucy punched the demon she faced across the jaw. As he groaned in pain and faltered, she quickly grabbed the nearby chair and swung it above her head and down onto his. The wood splintered and broke into pieces as he was rendered unconscious, collapsing in a heap on the ground. She smirked at her work, only snapping out of her happy trance at the voice of her sister.

"Lucy!" Laura cried out. When Lucy glanced up her oldest sister was running at full speed for her. A fireball was on a direct route for her face and Lucy closed her eyes, prepared for the inevitable.

"Shit," she muttered. Lucy groaned to herself. Those were going to be her last words? So lame.

Laura hurled her body onto Lucy's, forcing her from her feet and tackling her to the ground. The fireball whizzed past her ear and smashed into a table across the room. Lila, the only one on her feet, threw the demon into the nearby wall. As he slid to the floor she glanced over her shoulder, finding her sisters' out of sight. "Are you okay?" she called with worry.

"We're fine!" Laura answered.

"Speak for yourself," Lucy grumbled.

Laura popped up from behind the couch prepared to strike another demon with an explosion, however, the trio of attackers soon shimmered out before the fighting could continue, leaving the sisters panting for breath. Lila slowly regained her composure and strode over to meet her sisters. Laura was carefully getting to her feet, using the sofa to help herself up. Lucy was then offered a hand from both sisters who pulled her to her feet.

"Close call," she muttered.

"Yeah, when are you going to learn that you can't turn your back to the fight?" Lila asked.

"Really, not now. I get enough nagging from mom," Lucy said, hopping on one foot to the sofa.

"I'm just trying to help. Wouldn't be the first time you almost got yourself killed because . . ."

"Guys, fire," Laura interrupted, pointing over to the flaming table. Almost instantaneously the fire alarm gave a shrill scream.

"I got it," a calm voice said behind them. The three turned to find Joey entering, a fire extinguisher in his grasp. Without any difficulty he sprayed the leaping flames, not stopping until they had been completely evaporated.

"Thanks Joey," Laura said as he set the extinguisher down. "I didn't know you were still home."

"Yup," Joey answered with a sigh. "Sorry I wasn't much use."

"What are you talking about? You're our own personal firefighter," Lucy smiled.

"Awesome," he scoffed.

"Great, I said something wrong again," she groaned.

"Lucy…" Lila began.

"What the hell is with you today?" she snapped.

"It's not you, okay!" Joey growled. "I just . . . I'll be in the kitchen . . ."

The three sisters watched as he stomped off. "Should I go talk to him?" Laura asked.

"Not now," Lila murmured. "Unfortunately we have more serious matters at hand."

"Those demons were upper-level. They didn't die when Laura blasted them," Lucy whispered in realization. Lila nodded. Laura's brow furrowed.

"What?" the eldest asked. "What are you getting at?"

"We need the Power of Three…"

* * *

"I didn't mean to Chris…"

"I know you didn't mean to, Kate," he grumbled with as much patience as he could muster. He sat in a booth at the corner of Callaghan's Saloon with his belligerent cousin at his side. His face scrunched in disgust as he examined the greasy table and crusty cushions of the establishment. Grime and wastefulness were of Chris' many pet peeves. Just being in the disorganized bar made his skin crawl.

"You want a beer? You should get a beer. Lets get some more," Kate slurred. She waved at the bartender across the dim lit establishment. "Vince! Over here!"

"No, Kate, stop it," Chris hissed, snatching down her wrist.

"Hey!" she whined.

"Kate, we're done drinking for tonight," he told her. He quickly grabbed her remaining beer before she could try to take another drink.

"That's mine," Kate growled.

"Kate, you're drunk," Chris sighed.

"I'm not drunk," she spat.

"No, you are. I'm here to take you home," he said.

"I don't want to go home."

"Well, too bad, I'm taking you back."

"No! Why are you-you always sodamn bossy," Kate hissed. Her words stumbled and smashed in her drunken state and Chris ran a frustrated hand down his face.

"Kate, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I just wanted to get a drink," she groaned dramatically.

It was then Chris took notice of the streak of ash across her neck and the tangled clumps of her hair. Her leather jacket was completely zipped up, an indicator that she was hiding something. "Where were you before?"

"Nowhere," she hiccupped.

"Kate, where were you?"

"Just around," she gurgled. "I-I-I went down…and then I went up…and now I'm here."

"Down? Down to the Underworld?" Chris choked.

"Yup!" Kate chirped. She suddenly came up with hysteric giggles and Chris furrowed his brow in confusion. "You know, you're cute…"

"Kate, I'm your cousin," he said dryly.

"I just want to pinch your cheeks…" she slurred. In an instant her fingers were clumsily squishing Chris' face and he squirmed away in annoyance. "Hey!"

"Okay, that's enough, we're getting out of here," Chris told her.

"No. I'm not done," Kate protested.

"Nope. You're done," he said.

"Beer," she suddenly called. The beer that Chris had swiped from her moments earlier was suddenly engulfed in orbs and then magically placed in her palm. His olive eyes widened in complete anxiety while Kate gave a chuckle.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" he hissed, glancing over his shoulders to make sure none of the other customers had seen her trick. When he was sure no one had seen her, he quickly stood and wrapped a firm hand around her arm. With a little too much force he yanked her out from the booth and onto her feet. "We're leaving right now."

"No!" she growled.

"Fine, then we'll do this the hard way," Chris threatened. In one fluid swoop he bent down and grabbed Kate by her knees before swinging her over his shoulders and holding her like a sack of potatoes. She screeched and pounded at his back but he was hardly fazed. After years of demon attacks and chaotic battles Kate's protests were hardly anything worth fretting over. The other customers stared as he walked out and the bartender gave him a bemused nod. "Thanks Vince…"

* * *

Melinda Halliwell gave a gentle sigh as she put her car into park and turned off the headlights. For a long pause she sat in the driver's seat, hands still wrapped around the wheel as a lively San Francisco night reflected off the windows. Her coffee eyes were filled with tender desolation which she had been doing her best to keep concealed for the past week.

The heart of her mother and the genuine compassion of her father; that's what they said Melinda had. As much of a compliment as that was, however, she couldn't help but often find herself resentful. The excess of emotions that came with her genetic disposition sometimes seemed unfair. It wasn't that she had it worse than everyone else. It was just that while everyone felt bad, Melinda not only had to deal with her own saddened spirits but those of the people around her. It was such times that she simply wished for a normal, magic-free life. One she would unfortunately never attain.

A rapping on her window yanked her from her tiered stupor and she jumped in her seat, throwing a hand over her chest. The fluid laugh of her brother was muffled behind the window and she rolled her eyes as she realized it was Wyatt.

"Good evening," he greeted, offering a hand to help her out of the car. Melinda grudgingly took it and he threw the door shut. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's all right," she replied.

There was a strong bond between Piper Halliwells children, almost as if they were their very own personal power of three. Wyatt and Chris had been best friends since childhood and when Melinda was born, they both quickly suited up into the roles of protective older brothers. She had spent most of her youth attempting to keep up with them, whether it was joining in on their games of football or pushing her way into their demonic troubles. Then when they grew older, they became less squabbling playmates and more like confidants. Wyatt was the optimistic one. Melinda could always count on him to pick her up on her worst days. He had an enthusiastic view on life, an exuberance that was unmatched, and a smile that never seemed to fade. She admired Wyatt's attitude but often wondered how he could possibly retain it day to day. Chris on the other hand was a little more realistic. He was intelligent beyond belief, and often she wondered if he had simply applied himself and given up magic where he could have gone. By now he probably would have graduated from an Ivy-league school and had a job on Wall Street. Instead he was their protector. He was passionate and reliable and self-sacrificing. Chris would do anything for his family and she knew that he would do anything for her. Sometimes with all Chris and Wyatt did, all they brought to the table, she felt guilty with how little she offered them in return.

"Why'd you drive?" Wyatt asked as they made their way across the damp pavement. He hovered high above her at his height but kept an arm around her shoulder. "I could have orbed you here."

"That's okay. I figured it would be suspicious if at least one of us didn't bring a car," Melinda replied.

"Good thinking," he nodded.

"Hey," greeted a voice from the shadows. After a few more footsteps Samantha Mitchell was illuminated under a tall streetlight, joining her cousins with a grim smile.

"Hey, did the Bay Mirror survive press?" Melinda asked.

"Yes. And tomorrow we shall wake up to do it all over again," Sam chuckled.

"I'm never going there again. It's a dangerous place," Melinda teased.

"Your job involves taming teenagers and you think the local press is frightening?" Wyatt asked his sister. He had wrapped his other arm around Sam's shoulder and together the trio made their way for the dreary and foreboding brick building ahead.

"The paper is unpredictable. I was in the line of fire today and fearing for my life," Melinda reasoned.

"Yes, the life of a journalist is very perilous. Much more damaging than our daily demon squabbles," Sam chuckled. "Oh! I almost forgot to mention…when I went back to the office, Jack asked me if you were single."

"Really?" Melinda asked. She quickly shook her head. "I mean, uh, so?"

"You're ridiculous," Sam groaned. "I'm setting you guys up, end of story."

"What? Sammie . . ." Melinda growled. "I thought you had whitelighter genes, not cupid tendencies . . ."

"You'll thank me later."

"Okay, enough of that, we're here for a reason," Wyatt cut in with a roll of his eyes. "Let's try not to dig ourselves a hole. Let me do all the talking…"

"Let you do all the talking? When has that ever worked?" Sam scoffed.

"Hey, I'm the oldest, okay? You just hang back and look cute," Wyatt insisted. By then the group had reached the San Francisco PD precinct. They all paused for a moment, taking in long and calming breaths. In hind sight it was probably not the smartest thing to make a trip to the SFPD but at the same token, there were things to be considered, details to be gathered, and the truth was they were much better off sending some of the family's cooler heads rather than allowing passion and aggressiveness to burst into the precinct.

"Can I help you?" an officer at the front desk asked. The SFPD was buzzing with energy. There were uniformed cops gliding around the premises with purpose, handcuffed predators being led to their cells, and a few shady looking characters glaring from seats along the wall.

"We're looking for a detective Bianca Lawrence," Wyatt answered calmly. He could feel Melinda move closer to him as a bearded and tattooed man reached for her from the seat where he was handcuffed.

"Yeah, I think she's in," the officer nodded. "Hold on…"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Melinda asked.

"We're already here, aren't we?" Sam replied.

"Well, the exit is still behind us…" she protested with a hiss.

Wyatt and Sam gave no retort as they eyed the approaching figure of authority. Her heels clicked rhythmically along the granite floor and even from several yards away, her dark eyes burned holes in the group. No emotion flickered on her face. She was the epitome of coldness and discreetly the three Halliwells shivered.

"Detective Lawrence," she introduced herself in a monotone. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm Wyatt Halliwell. This is my sister Melinda and my cousin Samantha Mitchell," Wyatt began carefully. "We heard you're investigating my aunt Paige's death."

Something flickered in Bianca's foreboding russet jewels. Her thin lips curved suspiciously with an off-kilter smirk. "Yes. Yes I am," she replied. "I'm guessing you're here to convince me an investigation is not necessary…"

"No," Wyatt assured calmly. "We actually just wanted to know if you have any leads. This is a member of our family we're talking about here."

"Of course," Bianca said. "Follow me…"

* * *

Chris grimaced as he made his way up the last step, trying his best to ignore the slurring mass that slumped and stumbled with the aid of his shoulder. Together the pair made their way down the dark hall with only her belligerent comments testing the silence.

"And then there were these demons," Kate ranted on as she kept a limp arm draped around Chris' shoulder.

"You said that," Chris replied.

"It was stupid. So stupid," she slurred.

They rounded the corner into her bedroom and Chris quickly flipped on the light. Kate quickly tripped away and flopped onto the bed and gave an exasperated sigh. While she managed to kick of her shoes, Chris slowly paced around the room, analyzing with little discretion. He scanned the bookcase, trailing along old volumes of National Geographic and Howard Zinn's _A People's History. _He found it hard to believe he had forgotten Kate's near expertise in history. Though she had graduated community college with an associate's degree in engineering, it had been history that always captivated her interest. He continued on toward the small desk beneath the window. It was covered with a disarray of papers all filled by Kate's neat cursive. Chris bit on his lower lip as he glared down at the collage of ball point ink. There were lists and lists of demons, drafts of spells, brainstorms of locations, a play-by-play account of Paige's death, and other concerning documents that centered around a fixation on her mother.

"What are you doing?" Kate hiccupped from the bed.

"Nothing," he muttered, turning around to face her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.

"It's all right," Chris assured. He sighed and took a seat on the mattress. "Just get some sleep okay?"

"You're mad."

"I'm not mad."

"I just want to finish this. I need to finish it," Kate mumbled.

"Finish what?"

"Figure out who…who killed mom," she explained with another slur. "I just want the dreams to go away. And maybe if I can just finish it, everything will stop hurting so bad."

A frown pulled at Chris' mouth. "Kate, it's not going to go away. No matter what you do."

"Easy for you to say. Both your parents are still alive," she quipped.

"I know it can't be easy, but you're not helping anyone by putting your life in danger," Chris said. "I'll help all right? You don't have to do this alone."

"But I am alone," Kate whispered.

A sliver of pain tore through Chris' emerald eyes at her comment. It was the sort of emotion that he always tried to suppress or at least hide. The type of thing that he felt made him weak. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, trying to avoid the strong sentiment his sympathy was stirring up.

"It's going to be okay," he told her. "Just get some rest, all right?"

She nodded, the intoxication still prevalent as she tried to get comfortable on her bed. "Okay," she said.

"I'll check up on you tomorrow," Chris said.

"Wait," Kate nearly exclaimed before he could leave. She gripped onto his hand with desperation, pulling him down close to her. "Chris, you're not going to tell are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Please, please, just don't tell anyone about this. Not even aunt Piper," she begged. "And don't tell Sam. Especially not Sam."

"Okay, okay," Chris agreed. "I won't. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself."

"I promise," she slurred.

He gave a sad nod. "All right. Good night."

"Good night," Kate called back. "Love you."

"Love you too," he said.

* * *

The three Halliwells had to squint their eyes against the bright light that glared down at them in the interrogation room. They sat in a row on one side of the metal table, watching as detective Lawrence preceded with a cheeky smile. With complete ease she carried a stack of cardboard boxes, all plump and stuffed to the brim.

"What are those?" Sam asked.

Bianca dropped them to the table with a thud. Then carefully she began to unstack them, each slamming to the table and displaying its weight.

"These are all the cases that have a connection with the Halliwells," Bianca answered coolly.

"Right…" Wyatt said. "And what does this have to do with my aunt Paige's death?"

"Everything," she replied.

"Really? Because it looks more like you're trying to investigate my family's history rather than figure out what happened to Paige Matthews," Wyatt retorted.

"Just as I suspected," Bianca scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"You're hiding something," she replied.

"We're not hiding anything - - -"

"Then why the hell do you care whether or not I take a look at these files, huh?" she quipped coldly. She leaned in closer. "You have something you want to tell me Mr. Halliwell?"

"You know we're not hiding anything," Wyatt told her. "Just contact the FBI. You'll find that my mother and aunts were serving the greater good - - -"

"I have contacted the FBI and you'll be surprised to know that several agents have come forward claiming that the Halliwells were never a part of any operation and that hundreds of files regarding them seemed to be "misplaced" following the media attention," Bianca said.

"Sounds like the federal government's problem then, doesn't it?" Sam put in.

Bianca's eyes shifted over to Sam and for a beat the two women exchanged harsh glares. Melinda nervously moved in her seat and timidly opened her mouth.

"Listen, Ms. . . . I mean . . . Detective Lawrence . . . we don't want to cause any trouble. We just want to help find out what happened to Paige so we can put this all behind us . . ." Melinda said. "We know you simply wish to do the same."

Silence filled the space as Bianca pursed her lips. The trio of Halliwells remained seated, staring up at her with contempt as she locked her jaw. Finally she gave a nod. "Of course," she murmured.

"If there's anyway we can help, we'll be happy to comply detective," Wyatt added.

"I'm sure you will be," she answered. Bianca glanced back at the clock hanging on the blank white wall and again grinded her teeth. "I have to get back work . . ."

"Thanks for taking the time to meet with us," Wyatt said.

Bianca nodded as she headed for the door, her heels clicking across the floor. "I'll be contacting your family for statements soon," she told them before the door slammed shut.

* * *

His hands trembled uncontrollably as he forced open the door to the kitchen. He couldn't discern whether it was from fear or anger or grief but he knew that an uneasiness swarmed in his gut and his head pounded with frustration. The fingers of his right hand itched and suddenly it balled into a fist. His teeth grinded together as he slammed it down onto the firm kitchen counter, not once but twice. Tears sprang to his eyes and he ran his palms down his cheeks and he stumbled for the small breakfast table.

Joey didn't know how much longer he could suppress it. He was being torn a part by a feeling he never realized he had. No, he wasn't just mourning for his mother's passing. He was troubled with something much more complex. Something that had been following him since childhood. A feeling that erupted at the most obscure times; a feeling of alienation.

His dark eyes fell to the lone paper left on the table. He had been in the middle of reading it before the familiar cries of a demon sprawl interrupted. Now as the letter stared up at him, he didn't know if he had the courage to continue. With a sniffle he lifted it from the mahogany and the tears only stung more fiercely.

_To my dearest son,_

_Henry, if you're reading this it means I'm gone. Since I know you better than anyone, I know that you're hurt. I know that it seems unfair. When you're father died we were all heart broken, but I know you especially were in pain. It wasn't fair to you to lose him then and I know it feels no better to lose me now._

_But you're not alone. You've spent a lifetime feeling as though you were on the outside but you're far from it, Henry. You are just as much a part of this family, with or without powers. In fact you have a chance at something this family has always dreamed of; a normal life. Or at least as normal a life a Halliwell can manage. I'm sure that's no comfort but if you can listen to me about one thing, let it be this: _

_You don't need magic to be powerful. You don't need supernatural abilities to help the greater good or save innocents. You're strong Henry; perhaps stronger than the rest of us. You have gifts. You may not realize them now or be able to see them, but they're there. You have the capacity to do great things. I know you will. _

_I am so proud of the man you've become. You are so much better than I could have hoped for and I know you're father feels the same. You're the most honorable, smartest, kindest, most selfless person I know. I'm sure you'd say I'm bias but it's true. And I also know that those things are greater than any power. Don't forget that this family needs you as much as you need them. _

_I love you so very much and whatever you do, I will always be proud of you. _

_Love,_

_Mom_

_P.S. I left you my wedding ring. I hope you give it to the lucky girl you decide to make your wife._

There were tears in Joey's eyes as he finished the letter but a broad smile across his face. For suddenly he knew what he had to do.


	10. End of Episode Two

Pacing.

It was all she could focus on. _Step, step, step, pivot, step, step, step, pivot, step . . . _The musky aroma of the attic was little comfort and the unyielding tremble of her hyperventilating chest seemed to become less bearable with each second.

"Just breathe," Lila told her sister with little sympathy. She stood before the Book of Shadows, scanning the pages with great efficiency. Her objective was to pinpoint the demon from earlier, her eyes narrowed in a familiar focus. This was what she was good at. Spells, potions, warlocks, and demons. This was her element and not even her panic stricken sister could distract her.

"How do we know he'll come back? There's no sure reason for us to have to do this," Laura replied frantically.

"Seriously? Since when does a demon not come back?" Lucy asked from the couch. She sat with a marker in hand, scribbling onto a notepad. "You know who could write a really good spell? Phil."

"Ew, gross, let's not talk about your disgusting boyfriend right now," Lila scoffed.

"Disgusting? At least Phil has a degree," Lucy replied.

"Why does everyone always bring Gage's unemployment into this?"

"Okay seriously?" Laura shrieked. "We have issues here."

"No, _you_ have issues," Lila growled. "You're with us or not. The exit's downstairs."

"We can call mom and - - -"

"They're not the Power of Three any more," Lila snapped. "They can't do anything!"

"Well Lila, I can't do this!"

"Why not?"

"I'm freaking out! I can't . . . I can't . . ."

"It's the Power of Three, not a death sentence!"

"Yes, but it's an indirect one!"

"Oh give me a break!"

"Hey!"

In an instant the trio of sisters had snapped their attention toward the attic entrance where leaning against the doorframe was their youngest cousin. A lopsided smirk raised half of Joey's mouth as he furrowed his brow. He had decided to check up on them and the signs of bickering were proof that his timing couldn't have been better.

"Everything okay up here?" he asked.

"Yes."

"No," Laura and Lucy chimed over their sister's answer.

Joey shuffled in timidly. The attic was probably where he had spent the least amount of time in the manor. In fact the only times he could really recall being there were during his preschool years when he would hug his mother's leg as she strategized with her sisters over one demon spar or another. Now as he glanced around he felt just as out of place.

"What's the word on these demons?" he asked.

"No word yet," Lila replied. "There's nothing in the Book."

"I think we should call mom and aunt . . ."

"No, Laura," she groaned. "We're the Power of Three now."

"Quit saying that!"

"Just accept it already!"

The crescendo of an argument was about to erupt and Joey quickly cleared his throat. "If I might say something . . ." he tried.

Laura and Lila fell silent and he bit on his lower lip as he pondered the words of his mother. _Remember your family needs you as much as you need them. _Deep down he knew this is what he had to do. That's why he had crept up to the attic in the first place. He only worried that he didn't have it in him. He took in a deep breath before subtly nodding to himself. "For starters, you have to know that the fighting is getting ridiculous," Joey told them.

"I was actually starting to get used to it," Lucy mumbled. By now Laura had stopped her pacing and hesitantly took a place on the couch next to her youngest sister, wringing her fingers together as she did so.

"I know it's not easy," he continued. "I know that . . . that this is a big decision. But if you don't make it soon it won't matter."

There was quiet as his words stopped and he found difficulty maintaining any sort of momentum. He had succeeded at stating the obvious and he knew there was more that needed to be said. But he couldn't find it.

"I . . . I opened my letter downstairs."

His eyes were suddenly vacant and poignant. The words fell with a disheartening sound. All three girls exchanged perplexed looks of concern as he continued, still staring off.

"The one from mom," Joey clarified unneccesarily. A mist of tears seemed to crawl over his eyes. Lila left her position from behind the Book and put a hand on his broad shoulder.

"What'd it say?" she asked gently.

"That she was proud of me," he muttered.

"Of course she is," Laura said.

"She said that even though I don't have powers that I can help. That . . . that I have a place in helping the greater good. That this family needs me," Joey elaborated, this time more passionately. His dark jewels seemed to flare with something new.

"She's right. We do Joey. You can't ever doubt that."

"And I can't let you deny this," he spoke up. He took a step back from Lila's grasp and focused on all three of Phoebe's daughters.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked.

"The Power of Three," Joey replied. "I can't let it die. I won't stand by and let the legacy of our ancestors fail."

"Joe . . ."

"No Laura, just please hear me out," he said. His chocolate gaze poured into her with such conviction and compassion it was as if he were reaching out and touching her. "I love you Laura, you know that. But I can't let you do this. I can't let you avoid being Charmed."

"You don't understand."

"But I do understand! Don't you get it?" Joey exclaimed. "That's why I'm here. That's why you need me. I understand Laura. Maybe not in the way you think but I do."

He moved closer, swiftly taking to a knee in front of her, nearly startling both Lucy and Laura as he did so. Without hesitation he grabbed the eldest's hands into his own and not for a moment broke eye contact. His lip quivered with emotion.

"Please," he whispered. "I would do anything to have powers. Anything, Laura. And not because I want to fight demons or because I think they would be kick ass or I even want to be strong and powerful. I want them because they are an honor. They are the greatest legacy we could possibly have bestowed upon us. They're gifts. And they're a part of this family. When you . . . when you have them you're carrying a piece of every great person; every selfless, good, strong witch in our family who has served and protected a generation of innocents."

Laura's hands trembled beneath Joey's grasp. Her hazel eyes were softened with anticipation and fear, like a small child coming to understand the world for the first time. Tears. There were tears glossing her eyes.

"I know you've worked hard to preserve a normal life. I know you love being a doctor. And I don't want to take that from you. And you don't have to give that up. Laura, you're the smartest person I know. If anyone can manage this, it's you."

"You don't know that," she hiccupped breathlessly. A sob could have slipped if she weren't trying so desperately to not cry.

"Yes I do. I know you're scared. That's good," Joey whispered. "It's going to be okay. It will be okay once you accept this. And you're going to Laura. I'm not going to let you do otherwise. You will not be the Halliwell that ruins this legacy. I won't let you. I won't let the Power of Three die with my mother. And I know deep down you don't want it to either. So please Laura . . ."

"I don't know."

"Yes you do," he told her. "You do. And if you can't do it . . . if you can't do it for you . . . and you can't do it for me or Lila or Lucy . . . please . . . just . . ."

His voice broke with a whimper and he swallowed down a thick pit of sobs, though the tears were already rolling down his cheeks. He squeezed her hands harder.

"Please, just do it for my mom," Joey begged. "Please Laura. Do it for her. You know its right. You know this is what you're supposed to do . . . do it . . . do it for her."

Laura nodded continuously, her own face damp with a mess of tears now, her torso jerking with sobs. "I will," she whimpered. "I will . . . I will . . . I promise. I'm sorry . . ." Joey cried freely too and she leaned into his arms, burying her head into his wide chest. He rested his head on her shoulder as he squeezed her close. Lila wiped her tears with the back of her hand as she stood behind the pair and Lucy only watched with pink, wet cheeks of her own.

"So it's settled then?" Lila asked pathetically, sniffling back more sentiment.

Joey grinned and Laura chuckled into his shirt. Lucy and Lila suddenly giggled too and there was an unwarranted laugh that spread among the group as Laura and Joey released. "God if a crying session is all it took…" Lucy grumbled as she hastily dried her face.

"So I guess we're the Power of Three then," Laura said, glancing at each sister. "Speak now or forever hold your peace . . ."

"I'm in," Lucy told her.

"Me too," Lila nodded.

The two eldest sisters exchanged a knowing glance. Lila gave Laura a small smile. A smile that said all that she need to. _Thank you. I'm proud of you. I love you. _

"I think my work here is done," Joey spoke up. "I'll get out of your way so you can take care of this demon problem."

"Right, I almost forgot," Lila groaned.

"Yeah, lets get that figured out, huh?" he chuckled as he made his way toward the attic door.

"Wait, Joey," Laura called after him. He paused and turned at the entrance. "Thank you."

He only smirked, the same smirk his father had once possessed, and nodded. Then with a turn on his heel he descended the stairs.

"So where do we start?" Laura asked.

"I have an idea," Lucy spoke up. "Since this demon is new and not in our Book . . . I was thinking . . . when the Power of Three got their start they used that spell in the beginning of the Book for their first vanquish…"

"I like how you think," Lila replied.

* * *

It was quiet in the manor. Not the quiet he was used to. Not the quiet he had come to loathe or the silence that sometimes brought painful tears to his eyes. It was the quiet of contentedness. The quiet that something had finally gone right. The smile didn't fade from his mouth as he stood at the bottom of the stairs, arms folded across his chest, leaning casually against the mahogany banister.

He hadn't managed to hear the entrance of his aunts and uncle. Only the ginger hand of his aunt's on his back brought him out of the daze. But as he turned his smirk fell. His brown eyes widened. It wasn't his aunt.

"You did a good thing up there . . ."

"Dad?" Joey choked.

Henry Mitchell Sr. beamed proudly at his only son and gave a slow nod. He was just as the young man remembered him. Just as he was prior to his death. He controlled a tall frame with wide shoulders and strong legs. His jaw line was firm and maintained a scruffle of hair Joey had always affectionately recalled. And eyes, identical to his, grinned back.

"Yeah, I'm here," he said. His voice boomed in the smooth baritone that had long ago soothed all of Joey's problems and tears welled in his eyes at the sound.

"You're . . . you're real?" he asked.

"Yeah," Henry nodded happily. He stepped forward and clasped a large hand around Joey's shoulder. "Sorry it took so long."

He shook his head, still in disbelief. "What? Why are you here?"

"Well," Henry shrugged. "Your mother and I didn't want to miss the show."

Joey's brow fell in confusion but he followed his father's gaze, settling on the ceiling. Almost instantly a thump echoed above and a light hum of familiar female voices drifted down the stairs.

Lila gave a sigh as she and Laura finished pushing the couch out of the way. "I think that's good," she said. Laura nodded in agreement, brushing a piece of damp hair behind her ear.

"All right, I got it," Lucy said looking up from the Book of Shadows. She hobbled out to the space they had cleared in the attic and joined her two sisters. Laura tried her best to focus, to ignore the nerves that twisted in her stomach. She pulled in a worried breath.

"It'll be fine," Lila murmured to her.

Laura nodded and Lucy cleared her throat. "I think . . . I think we have to hold hands. Like mom and aunt Piper and aunt Paige used to," she advised. The suggestion sounded so childlike and innocent coming from her mouth it was as if they were truly just trying to mimic their parents in an elementary game. Laura nodded absently and Lila, who stood in the middle of the trio, grabbed onto each of her sisters' hands.

"Ready?" she asked.

"No choice now," Lucy muttered.

"Laura?"

"Hardly," she replied.

There was a pause. The quiet before a storm. Then finally, Lila cleared her throat. "We have to say it together . . ." she told them. "Now . . ."

"Ancient powers, we summon thee, we the Power of Three, and seek your help in finding, the demon who is in hiding…"

The chant was followed by an empty silence. A frown pulled at Lucy's face and Lila narrowed her eyes. "Again," she advised.

"Ancient powers, we summon thee, we the Power of Three, and seek your help in finding, the demon who is hiding…"

"What the hell?" Lucy scowled.

"Laura, you have to say it," Lila spoke up, turning her attention to her eldest sister.

"I am saying it."

"No, but you have to really say it," Lucy added.

"I am."

"You are not," Lila growled.

"Ly, I swear - - -"

"Hey! Let's just try it again, okay?" Lucy interjected.

"Fine," Laura breathed out. This time her auburn eyes were filled with determination, her focus on the spell, her body itching with a sense of magical aptitude. She squeezed the hand of her sister a little harder and pulled in one steadying draw of air.

"Ancient powers, we summon thee, we the Power of Three, and seek your help in finding, the demon who is hiding."

The floorboards trembled under a mysterious, unidentifiable weight and the swirl of a cold draft whipped the back of the girls' necks. Then suddenly, in a flash of orange light, a prodigious force arrived. He thudded roughly into the center of the attic, kicking up dust from the aged wood. Immediately Laura's heart tightened as she recognized it as the demon from earlier. His face was twisted with confusion as he scanned his surroundings but it soon faded into malice when he spotted the trio. He grew a sphere of fire in his hand and before he could prepare to take aim, Lila's voice broke through the panic charged quiet.

"Now!" she cried out.

"The Power of Three will see us free," the sisters began. "The Power of Three will set us free…"

A moan seemed to pour out from the manor's walls as if the house were tensing underneath the Charmed power. Behind them the Book of Shadows flipped itself open and its pages turned at rapid speed, moving without purpose or intention. The floor began to quake again, rumbling beneath their feet. And suddenly a high pitched whine assaulted their ears.

"The Power of Three will set us free . . ."

The demon was stunned by the sudden display, the fireball still cocked in his hand as it was when the disarray began. Now, however, as he regained his composure, he aimed and launched the flames toward the trio. Unexpectedly a forcefield of white light jumped around them, swooshing almost as loudly as the piercing shriek that cried from above. The fireball evaporated into the forcefield, leaving the sisters unharmed.

"The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free…"

A rough growl slipped from the demon's gapping hole of a mouth as a burning sensation assaulted him. It started in his chest, then sizzled up to his head, and suddenly it felt as though someone was tearing him apart from the inside. The noises of the manor exemplified in his ears, making the throbbing of his brain absolutely unbearable. His knees buckled beneath him as he brought both hands to his head, still crying out to no one in particular.

"The Power of Three will set us free."

Fire. The flames licked at his ankles and crawled up his shins, slithered up to his hips and eventually consumed his shoulders in a burning swallow. And in one bright, hot, loud explosion he was gone.

Almost in unison, the sisters all let go of breaths they had been holding in. Their dark gazes were stuck on the steaming pile of ash in front of them. Their hands were still locked.

"We did it," Laura murmured finally.

"Yeah," Lila nodded.

"It was a little anticlimactic though, don't you think?"

The three girls shuddered at the voice of an interloper and turned with bodies tensed in preparation for round two. Instead what they found had their faces softening and eyes widening. "Aunt Paige," Lila choked.

Lucy was the first to make a move toward their deceased relative. Almost immediately she threw arms around Paige, grinning from ear to ear as she returned the embrace. Of all her relatives, Lucy had perhaps identified best with her aunt. Like the late Paige, she was full of quirks and wit, supplying a twisted humor that could only be compared to the elder Halliwell. Prior to her death, simply listening to Paige and Lucy converse served as sufficient entertainment for the family.

"I've only been dead a week kiddo," Paige chuckled as the two released.

For once, rather than offering her usual snarky quip, Lucy only gave a quiet smile. Paige ruffled her reddish hair and put an arm around her as they faced Phoebe's other daughters.

"What are you doing here?" Lila asked.

"Not happy to see me?" Paige teased.

"No! No of course I am," she replied. At that, as if to prove it, she gave her aunt a hug. A smile tickled her mouth at Paige's familiar scent and suddenly she was reminded of how much she had missed her.

When they pulled away, only Laura remained on the outside. She seemed a little dazed, and if anything exhausted from an emotionally charged and frightening evening. Paige gave her a smile full of sympathy and waved her onward. "Get over here."

Laura forced a smirk before embracing her aunt, nearly melting into the hold for a beat. At their release, Paige tilted her head to the side and reached out, cupping her eldest niece's face. "I'm proud of you," she said. "I'm proud of all of you."

"That's why you're here?" Lucy questioned.

"I'm here because tonight we officially crown you charmed," Paige replied.

"You what?"

"You'll see," she chuckled. "But for now, there's a certain young man I need to see."

* * *

"I missed you so much," Joey told his father. "I . . . I would dream about you all the time."

"Well, not all of those were dreams. I never left you completely, thanks to some help from your grandmother," Henry said. The two were seated at the bottom step of the staircase, looking much more like brothers than father and son. More than likely it was attributed to the fact that Henry was still thirty-eight years old, the same age he had died. At the same token of course, there had always been an uncanny resemblance between the pair. "You have no idea how much I wanted to be here, Joe. I know it wasn't easy."

Joey gave a small nod. "There were just times I wished you were here. I would think, what would dad say? What would he have done?"

"I know," Henry whispered gently. "It was unfair. Especially because I got to see the twins basically grow up but you were just twelve . . ."

"It got easier," Joey murmured. "But why couldn't you have come back sooner? At least visited like now?"

"Because you weren't ready," his father answered. "I couldn't come until I was certain you had moved on. Until you were mature enough to say goodbye again. If I came all those other times – and trust me I wanted to – you would have spent all your life waiting for me to come back again."

"How do you know I'm ready now?"

"You're a man Joe," Henry told him. "You proved that tonight. You've proved it time and time again. And I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," he sniffled, his voice cracking. The two chuckled, almost identical laughs. "So much for being a man . . ."

Henry reached over, grabbing him into a headlock and messing up his auburn tuft of hair. "You need a haircut," he teased.

"What? So I can look like you old man?"

"Old? I haven't aged for ten years buddy," Henry quipped. "You're the one not getting any younger."

"I see nothing's changed," Paige Matthews-Mitchell chuckled as she descended the stairs. Both Henrys were awe struck, turning as she walked toward them like a dream. Junior was the first to rise when she was in reach, needing no words to express his joy at her appearance. Tears rolled fiercely down his face as she enveloped him. He buried his head into the crook of her neck and she rubbed the back of his head as if he were a small boy. Henry came behind the pair and placed a hand on Joey's back, a sympathetic frown masking his face. The sobs didn't stop for a few minutes and Paige gently hushed him, squeezing him tightly. "I'm here. I'm here sweetie . . ."

Joey cried with a deep sentiment he hadn't previously acknowledged. He cried the tears that had been absent when his father passed; cried the tears of pain that he tried so desperately to suppress with Paige's death; cried the tears he could no longer consume. For in the moment he had never felt so whole. It was a feeling he hadn't recalled since he was twelve years old. A feeling that could warm him and break him even at twenty-one. This was his home and it seemed that a simple glimmer of it could heal all wounds.

"I wish you were here to stay," he finally murmured.

"Me too baby," Paige told him.

"I love you," Joey said. "Both of you."

"We love you too," Henry replied.

"And we're proud of you," Paige said. "Thank you for what you did tonight."

There wasn't more that needed to be exchanged after that. When the door opened and Piper, Phoebe, and Leo entered, the genuine moment of quiet love was turned into an enthusiastic exchange of simple joy. And while Paige and Henry wanted nothing more than to revel in it, wanted nothing more than to pretend all was the same, they wouldn't allow themselves to fool them. That's why their trail led the group back into the attic, back to the new Charmed daughters who greeted their uncle with excitement and pleased their mother with their accomplishment. That's why Paige had insisted the six of them join hands in a circle, why Henry stood back with Joey and Leo, and why Coop joined them. Yes, things were almost normal. Except for tonight they were not, even if they could fool themselves. And on that eve, they would make sure of it.

"Tell me again why we haven't had to do this before?" Phoebe asked, glancing to her younger sister who she gripped hands with.

"Because there were never Charmed Ones before us. Never have the powers had to be passed down," Paige said. "Just think of it as a Wiccaning."

"We ready people?" Piper asked, glancing around. She held Laura's hand in one palm and Phoebe's in the other. The circle of six was a rather stunning display of Halliwell women. The past and future all locked in one moment.

"In this night and in this hour, We call upon the ancient power. Sister to sister, Mother to daughter, Generation to generation. We pass the powers down, Let the legacy continue round, To serve good and protect from harm, Let them be forever Charmed."

A shower of blue and white lights seemed to shoot down from the ceiling, illuminating the six women in a heavenly glow. Just as quickly a nearly translucent twinkle left one side of the circle and seeped into the other. Predecessor to successor. And suddenly it was official; they would be the new Power of Three.

* * *

"I need a drink," Wyatt groaned as he deftly hopped over the counter of P3's well supplied bar. The establishment was emptied, with chairs turned over on tables and silence ringing in the halls.

"Make mine double," Sam requested as she took a stool across from her cousin. Melinda joined her, plopping down with a sigh. "That Detective Lawrence is a bitch…"

Wyatt nodded in agreement as he pulled a bottle from the shelf and lined up three shot glasses. Melinda twisted her face in annoyance.

"_You have something you want to tell me Mr. Halliwell?"_ she mocked in a juvenile tone. "I swear, if she gets us in trouble..."

"She won't, okay?" Wyatt assured. "Here. Drink."

He slid the girls each a glass and Melinda sighed. "I have school tomorrow," she said. "I shouldn't."

"Ah come on," Sam groaned. "Just play a movie or something like all the other hung over teachers."

"I'm a math teacher," Melinda reminded.

"Same difference," she teased. She raised her glass. "Bottoms up."

Wyatt quickly drained the liquid and Sam joined him. Finally, with one last huff of dissatisfaction Melinda did the same. As their glasses emptied, a flurry of footsteps thundered on the stairs and suddenly gliding into the bar was Chris. He chuckled in surprised.

"Didn't expect to see you booze bags here," he teased.

"Take a seat cowboy," Sam offered.

"Rough night?" Melinda asked, sensing the flustered vibe that shot off him.

"You could say that," Chris nodded. Wyatt reached under the bar and added another glass to his trio, quickly refilling. "What about you guys? What brings you all here?"

"We went and met Detective Lawrence," Wyatt answered.

"You what?" Chris coughed.

"She's a grade A bitch," Sam revealed.

"Why the hell would you go and do that?"

"Figured it wouldn't hurt anything," Wyatt replied.

"I would appreciate if you told me next time," Chris growled, taking turns glaring at each one of them.

"Hey, don't look at me, I was just along for the ride," Melinda claimed.

"Oh sure, Ms. Innocent over there," Sam rolled her eyes.

"I need a beer," Chris grunted.

Before Wyatt could satisfy his brother's request, his attention was soon taken by the rattle of the club's front entrance. He groaned.

"We're closed!" he called up.

"Oh really, because it looks like an open bar to me," Lila smirked as she appeared behind Wyatt in a fading pink glow. She stuck her tongue out at him as he turned to find her with hands on her hips.

"Hey, who said you were invited?" Sam taunted.

"Well, we're actually here to celebrate," Lila answered, leaning against the bar next to Wyatt.

"We?" Chris repeated.

Lila's face fell for a minute as she glanced around. "Okay…well there was a we…"

Almost instantaneously a crash sounded in the backroom. The rattle of brooms and mops clattering from their places echoed, boxes fell, and an array of voices could be heard from down the hall.

"_Nice landing…"_

"_I'm sorry! It's been awhile since I've done this teleporting thing!" _

"_I think you re-broke my leg!" _

"_Ow, you're on my hand!" _

"_Get off!" _

"_I'm not cleaning this up!" _

The Halliwells seated around the bar were silently amused, listening as a door opened and footsteps followed. Suddenly limping out was Lucy, a scowl on her bold face. "What are you looking at?" she grumbled.

A coo of laughter rumbled as Joey and Laura also immerged into sight. "You guys are all here," Joey grinned.

"Yep," Wyatt answered. "Manning the bar since a certain employee was absent . . ."

"Hey, it's my night off," he quipped.

"What brings everyone here?" Laura asked, plopping down in a seat next to Chris.

"It was a rough night," Melinda answered. "We went and met with the detective who's investigating aunt Paige's case . . . and Chris . . . well, Chris never really told us what was wrong with him…"

"Nothing wrong," he replied shortly. "Just needed a break."

Part of him longed to tell them the truth. He wanted to tell them about Kate and where he had found her. But he had sworn to secrecy. He would fix it himself. No reason to worry the rest.

"What about you guys?" Sam spoke up. "What are you doing here? Lila said something about celebrating?"

"Yes, we are here to celebrate," Joey smiled. "Tonight, our cousins were officially blessed as the Charmed Ones."

Eyes widened around the table and dimples, Halliwell dimples that nearly all of them seemed to have, rose at the news.

"Officially blessed?" Wyatt asked.

"Yep," Lila nodded.

"And we had a pretty bad ass vanquish if I might say so myself," Lucy added from where she sat next to Melinda.

"So the human world can celebrate? The Power of Three is back?" Chris grinned.

"I don't know how much celebrating it entails for humanity but . . . we are back!" Laura confirmed with a chuckle.

A hoot of excitement echoed throughout the empty club as celebratory exchanges began. Chris swooped Laura off her feet in a hug, laughing with exuberance that, "I knew you would make the right decision!"

Lucy was embraced by Sam and her hair was ruffled by Wyatt, who simultaneously wrapped another large arm around Lila behind the bar. Hands clasped and high-fived, congratulations were spilled, and for a brief moment it was as if the pain was forgotten. The gloom evaporated and the troubles of the evening were gone. They were simply a family. They were simply together and happy. And suddenly there was hope. Hope for the future.

"This calls for a toast!" Wyatt exclaimed over the commotion. "Joey, help me out."

"Gladly," he said, jumping over the bar and grabbing more glasses.

"I should call Kate," Sam spoke up excitedly.

Chris, whose arm was around Lucy, quickly shot up with a protest. "No!" he choked out. Sam's eyes widened in confusion. "No, I-I-I saw her earlier. She was having problems with a charge . . . I wouldn't bother her."

"She'd want to be here," Sam insisted.

"No, trust me," Chris replied. "She'll understand."

Sam bit on her lower lip exchanging a suspicious look with her cousin, trying to read deeper into his olive eyes. Melinda shifted uneasily as she sat between the two, becoming anxious by the guilt that radiated off of Chris. Fortunately Wyatt's timely announcement would suffice as a distraction.

"Here, everyone grab one," he said. He and Joey distributed them down the bar. "And you can thank me later, but these drinks are on me."

A roar of jeering was thrown Wyatt's way and Joey cleared his throat. "If I may have the honor?" he spoke over the noise. He raised his glass. "To the new Charmed Ones. May your legacy be just as great as our mothers."

"To us. To all of us. To carrying on the next generation of protecting innocents, Charmed or not," Lila added, grinning at her cousins.

Laura spoke up before the toast could be finalized. "Wait, no," she said suddenly. Her maple eyes flashed with an authority and calm she was known for. And just beneath it there was emotion. "To Paige Matthews. May her legacy be honored forever."

At this everyone raised their glasses, hearts heavy and faces lively. Each of them with dark eyes full of duty and promise. Each of them a special part of what was to come. Each of them simultaneously hopeless and hopeful, teetering on the brink of what was meant to be. Who they were supposed to be.

The night was simply a prelude.

And none of them had the slightest idea.

"To Paige!"

**[end of episode two, "something to believe"] **

* * *

_thanks for the reviews! I know i've been horrible about updating and a little sporadic with my attention for this story, but i'm still thinking about it. i have ideas, i just need to actually turn them into chapters. thanks for sticking with me and i hope to see even more feedback! it really is inspiration considering the possibilities are endless :) ~ sammy _


	11. Episode Three : Semi Charmed Life

**Episode 3 : Semi-Charmed Life**

_She scanned the note with indifference, still yawning as she deciphered her mother's rushed handwriting. "At a meeting with publishers. Be back soon. Love, Mom. P.S. You were in my premonition this morning. I don't know when it will happen. But watch your back. Love you Louie." _

_She rolled her eyes at the sloppy heart drawn next to the last line and suppressed a smirk. Sometimes her mother's perkiness was just a little too much to handle. Especially so early in the morning, even if it was in note form. She rubbed her hazel eyes with the back of her hand and mumbled to herself about more demon problems. _

_Just enough coffee for another cup was left and she gladly filled her mug. The liquid was still steaming, so Phoebe must not have departed long before she woke. The handle was warm in her palm and she tried to shake herself awake as she waited for it to cool. She lifted the cup to her mouth for a drink, stopping only when she heard a discreet thump behind her. _

_The noise was barely audible, but years as a witch had seemed to increase all her senses. Her shoulders quickly hunched as she spun around. A shimmering cobalt energy ball was headed straight for her face. The coffee mug slipped from her hand and shattered on the linoleum. _

_And then it was dark. _

A violent choking noise came from Lucy Halliwell's throat as she caught her breath. Her back was damp from the intensity of the premonition that had snuck into her thoughts and the beat of her heart had accelerated to such a rate that she was certain she was only a few more notches from a heart attack. She tried to reaffirm her focus as her mother had taught her, grounding herself back to reality by taking in her surroundings.

Years ago, when Lucy's powers had advanced and her visions of the future became more vivid, it became difficult for her to distinguish between reality and premonition. She had adapted quickly to the intense visions, learning to separate the physical and metaphysical worlds through the senses. Sight, smell, and touch were the pinnacle of her sanity.

She studied the things in front of her as she caught her breath. The kitchen. She was in the kitchen, in front of the counter. She pulled in a deep breath, searching for scent. Coffee. She smelled fresh brewed coffee. It must be morning. It was morning and she was in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. The mug was warm in her hand. In fact, the heat nearly shocked her back to realism.

The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

Staring up at her from the counter was her mother's note, scrawled in messy cursive. Adrenaline suddenly heated through her veins. Her stomach clenched and her mouth became hot with nausea. _I don't know when it will happen, but watch your back. _Her eyes burned onto the words and she bit on her lower lip. The skin on her forearms chilled and her palms became sweaty.

And suddenly there was a light thump behind her.

Remembering her fate in the drab premonition had Lucy quickly diving to the floor not a second too soon. A yelp escaped her as she caught sight of cerulean sphere out of the corner of her eye. The flickering energy ball slammed into the kitchen cabinets, breaking open the pine and splintering the wood. She rolled over, setting her almond gaze on the intruder.

A fury ravaged his scarlet eyes as he glared down at her. Dark tattoo ink covered his face, twisting in a pattern that mazed around each crevice and dimple. His teeth were sharp and a bright white against his dark skin, and if she wasn't mistaken, a self-satisfied smirk curled his lips. His leather boots, crusted with grime from the Underworld thundered along toward her, vibrating the floor with each step.

In a desperate scramble, Lucy quickly began crawling away, knees and arms flailing like a soldier in training. The demon gave a twisted chuckle as she went, taking a sadistic delight in her struggle. Even in the trying situation, Lucy's brow furrowed in outrage. "Screw you buddy!" she growled at him. She quickly grabbed onto the sofa in the living room and threw herself up to her feet, turning in time to find another energy ball soaring her way. Without a second to spare she levitated above the offensive attack, avoiding it by several inches.

As the demon scowled in surprise she dropped back down to her feet and assaulted him with a firm fist to the jaw. She struck next with her good foot, hitting his chest so hard that he stumbled back onto the ground. Still heaving for air, Lucy yanked the nearby lamp from its place on the end table, breaking the cord from the wall before smashing it onto his bald head. At this he almost instantly went limp and the young Halliwell scrambled backward.

"Help!" she shouted.

No one answered and she couldn't say she was surprised. Even the whitelighters in the family were good at "missing" her calls. Lucy hurriedly made her way down the hall, slipping into the potions room and slamming the door shut. With little time to spare she fumbled around for the phone and dialed with desperation, biting the nail of her thumb and watching the door with fear as she awaited an answer.

The demon attacks hadn't yielded since the vanquish in the attic. It seemed word had circulated throughout the Underworld that the Charmed Ones had been reincarnated and everyone seemed determined to test their luck against the rookies. Laura, Lila, and Lucy had seemed to be under some sort of attack at least twice daily, and by day four the fatigue seemed to be settling in.

Laura slept soundly on the chest of James Clement, her tiered body nearly dead weight on the mattress. The two hadn't spent anytime together since Paige's death and the evening before had seemed to be exactly what she needed. James, despite his obliviousness to her life as a witch, always knew exactly how to calm her. He somehow knew what she needed, even when she didn't.

The doctor was two years her senior and was on his way to becoming Chief of Surgery at the San Francisco Memorial. Prior to dating, he and Laura had consulted on several cases at the hospital, but it wasn't until their paths crossed in the cafeteria and he had slyly offered her a pudding cup had things heated up.

The truth was that Laura loved James. He was perfect in so many ways. Looks were just the beginning of his appeal, starting with light gray-blue eyes and honey brown locks. He was protective and sensitive when it came to her, while it seemed any other time he was calm and collected and strong. And the most important part? He was human. A mortal. He wasn't as her father had been and for that Laura loved him even more. He was a man she could see herself spending the rest of her life with. Having children with.

Of course, that meant that the truth had to develop at some point. And Laura would avoid it as long as possible.

Her cell phone droned from the bedside table and she quickly flashed open her eyes. She had always been a light sleeper and tuning into the sound of her pager from the hospital or a demon cry from her family, had her nearly zeroed in on even the slightest noises. A light sigh slipped through her parted lips as she rolled over and reached, pulling the sheets up around her as she flipped it open.

"Hello?" she greeted groggily.

"_Laura, I need your help!" _

"Louie?"

"_There's a demon. He's here at mom's house." _

"Well, I'm at . . . I'm busy and . . ."

"_Teleport your ass over here now!" _

Laura winced at the volume of her sister's demand and pulled the phone from her ear to recover. Even with it a distance from her face, she could hear a sudden thud on the other end and the shriek of her sister.

"_Hurry!" _

"I'll be there in a minute," she hissed with urgency now, her heart racing.

She ungracefully yanked off the sheets and tossed her phone aside. Laura tripped over a pair of James' shoes and searched frantically for something to wear. Without care for anything fashionable she picked up her beau's button up shirt and a pair of his boxers, glancing back to make sure he wasn't looking as she disappeared in a neon flash.

"Behind you!"

The voice came in time for Laura to spin around and watch as the door of the potions room – her room – was kicked down. She quickly threw up her hands, sending an explosion toward the adversary. Rather than hitting him, the wall was rocked in the combustion, and picture frames cracked and fell from their places.

"You've got to be kidding me," Lucy growled. "Just freeze him!"

Laura ignored her sister's criticism and tried to remain calm as the demon conjured up an energy ball. Squeezing her eyes shut she flicked her hands and when she could see again she was relieved to find that all was motionless except for her sister.

"Your aim sucks," Lucy said.

"Hey, you're just lucky I came when I did," Laura countered back.

"Nice shirt," she said.

"Yeah, well you caught me at a bad time," Laura muttered. She glanced back at the frozen demon. "So, how long do you think until he unfreezes?"

"Long enough for us to get Lila hopefully," Lucy answered before grabbing onto Laura's hand. "Think you can get us to her apartment or will we end up in Nicaragua again?"

"Don't be a smart ass," she mumbled before the pair was consumed in a ray of pink light.

When their feet hit the ground again, they were greeted by a surprised shriek. A hand had flown to Melinda Halliwell's chest as her cousins appeared out of thin air, and as she realized it was them and not a demonic interloper she heaved a sigh. "Jesus, how many times do I have to tell you guys to stop doing that?" Melinda asked.

"Good morning to you too," Lucy mumbled. She glanced around the cramped kitchen quarters and gave a sniff. "Yum, what's for breakfast?"

"Hey, focus, we have things to do," Laura told her sister.

Melinda's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you guys doing here? And why are you dressed like that?"

"No time. Demon waiting for us back home. Need Lila," Laura explained in brief fragments as she began down the narrow hall toward her sister's bedroom. Lucy quickly followed after, leaving Melinda behind with a skeptical look on her face.

Without so much as a knock Laura pushed open the door of Lila's bedroom, simultaneously raising her voice as she did so. "Wake up," she ordered.

An angry whine erupted from under the covers and as Laura went to throw open the blinds, Lucy gave a disgusted hiss. "Ew!" she exclaimed as she spotted the second lump in the bed. "Gross. It's Gage."

"Morning Louie," Gage Jenkins greeted with a grin as he rolled over onto his back.

"What are you doing here?" Lila asked.

"We have a demon problem back at mom's house, so if we can move it people . . ." Laura advised.

Lila threw her head back with a melodramatic flare. "I am so sick of this! It's been four days straight and they haven't given us a break," she announced as she bitterly got out of bed.

"Well, maybe you can take it up with customer service in the Underworld, but right now we don't have time. I don't know how long my freeze is going to last," Laura said.

"You guys need my help?" Gage asked, while Lila put her pajamas back on.

"No, we're better off without you getting in the way," Lucy quipped.

"Thanks for the offer though," Laura said, forcing a kind smile. Lila quickly pecked him on the lips.

"Love you," she said.

"Love you too," Gage grinned.

"You're making me nauseous," Lucy grumbled.

"Let's do this people," Lila said, grabbing onto her younger sister's hand. As Gage gave a wave goodbye from the bed, the three swirled out.

An energy ball greeted them upon arrival in the potions room. Lila and Lucy both shrieked, jumping a part and allowing the cobalt sparks to pass between them. Upon standing firmly on her feet, Lila glared down her enemy and quickly threw him across the room with her telekinesis. He landed in the hallway and Laura cautiously followed after, prepared to finish him with an attack of her own. Before she could raise her hands in preparation, an energy ball was soon hurled toward her from the ground and she quickly fired back with little time to think. The combustion of the energy ball sent force in all directions and Laura caught the heavy backlash of her own power, being thrown from her feet and slammed into the wall.

"Laura!" Lucy cried.

The demon was back on his feet and Lila spun, avoiding his own strike and planting a blow to his ribs. He groaned in pain and Lucy quickly levitated up, kicking his chin and forcing him back a few steps. He growled, his ink covered face twisting in discomfort. With vengeance in his eyes he formulated another energy ball and chucked it with a good measure of force. Lila expertly re-directed the sphere back at its owner with a quick use of telekinesis.

A cry slipped from the demon as the energy ball clipped his shoulder, burning his flesh and tearing away layers of skin. Almost immediately he clutched the wound and hissed at the spew of blood that began to formulate. Before the Halliwell girls, who now had the upper hand, could strike again he quickly shimmered out.

"Bastard," Lila said between gritted teeth.

"Laura, you okay?" Lucy asked, moving quickly to meet her big sister who was slowly sitting up at the end of the hall.

Laura rubbed the back of her head and nodded. "Fine," she replied. "Just a bump."

Lila joined the duo and held out a hand, carefully helping Laura back to her feet. "Want to call one of the boys or Kate?" Lila asked.

"No, I'll survive. I just need some aspirin," she answered dully.

"And I need some breakfast," Lucy announced. "Who's with me?"

* * *

"It's probably best that we move the stage over here actually…"

Chris Halliwell was certain that a hole would form soon if he didn't stop biting his lower lip. He had spent the last hour struggling to control his temper as he listened to the prude and perky charity events coordinator bark out her unwarranted opinions and orders. At her latest interjection his fists clenched into tight balls and he could feel a red warmth crawl up his neck. Piper, who stood close to her youngest son, forced a smile as she discreetly placed a hand on the inside of his forearm, indirectly advising him to keep his cool.

"Thanks Molly, but I think we'll keep it in the back where we have it," Piper said. "The guys spent all evening setting it up yesterday."

"But don't we want everyone dancing to be at the center of the party?" she questioned with an over bubbly zeal in her voice.

Now both Piper and Chris were bursting at the seams and before they could do just that, Wyatt quickly cleared his throat. "Well, actually, it's best to keep it where it is. We don't want waiters having to shuttle back and forth across the dance floor. It'd be a disaster if someone got tripped up in the confusion," he said.

Molly nodded her head. "Of course, of course," she laughed shrilly. "You're right. Sheesh, who am I to talk anyway, you three own and operate the place after all!"

She chuckled and Wyatt kindly did the same. Piper and Chris suddenly joined in a little too enthusiastically and could only cringe at the irony. "Well, we're glad to accommodate in whatever ways we can," Wyatt assured.

"That's why we're so happy to have the event hosted here. I've been telling them for years that this is the best restaurant in town. I said it was simply fate that we were doing the benefit in Paige Matthews' name this year," Molly said.

"And we can't tell you how much it means to our entire family that you are," Piper nodded.

"She was a saint. It would be a travesty in itself to not celebrate her contribution to San Francisco's social services and the city ordinance committee," she replied. Molly patted Piper on the arm. "We really are sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Piper said gently.

"Well, there's still a lot to be organized. Expect lots of press tonight. Especially now that the Mayor is coming," Molly warned them. She shifted her focus to Wyatt. "Now, remember that he and his wife are . . ."

"Vegetarians, yes," Wyatt nodded. "I changed the menu. We should be good to go."

"Oh, I just knew we made the right choice. You all are such gems," Molly said as she headed for the door. "We'll see ya'll later tonight."

"Bye," Wyatt waved.

As soon as the door closed Chris gave a frustrated groan and pressed his forehead to the nearest table. "I thought I was going to off myself right then and there."

"Yeah, she was a little too opinionated for my liking," Piper snipped. "And did she just call us gems?"

"She wasn't that bad," Wyatt said. "Besides, the ends justify the means here. This is going to be huge for the restaurant."

"You're right. The media coverage is already going to put us through the roof and we haven't even gotten through tonight," Chris agreed. "I'm just worried that we'll be over occupation capacity…"

"Don't worry about it," Wyatt advised.

"Don't worry about it? You know who worries about it? The fire marshall. And you know who worries about the fire marshall coming? I do," Chris said.

"Just relax honey," Piper told her son, patting him on the shoulder. "Everything will be fine, okay?"

Wyatt's brow twisted in surprise. "You're uncharacteristically calm…"

"What? I'm always calm," Piper said. Both Wyatt and Chris were silent as they continued staring at her unconvinced and she groaned. "Fine. Well, I guess I'm just getting used to this retirement thing. You know, now that the girls are the new Power of Three and you two are handling the club and the restaurant, I feel as though a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders…and besides, your father and I recreated our honeymoon last night and . . ."

"Oh God!" Chris cut her off in disgust. "Mom, please don't tell me those things."

"Yeah, I'm a little grossed out."

"You asked!"

"Not about that!" Chris sputtered.

"I'm going to go work on the menu," Wyatt said with a snicker.

"Yeah, I have a charge or something," his brother decided as well.

"What! Boys! Come on!"

"Bye mom! Take your erotic stories back home to dad!" Chris yelled over his shoulder.

"Christopher Perry!" Piper shouted back at him. One of the many restaurant workers was staring at her in intrigue, mouth slightly ajar at what he had heard. Piper gave him a sharp scowl. "What are you looking at buddy?"

"Nothing Mrs. Halliwell."

"Uh-huh…"

* * *

The silence was cringe worthy. As Joey descended the stairs with another heavy box in hand he could only feel uneasiness in the living room.

"This is the last one from the closet," he announced, desperate to break the silence.

He only received a brief nod from Kate, who then went back to piling old paperback novels into a moving box. As she turned to face her work, she stole a glare at her twin sister who seemed to be just as bitter.

Joey cleared his throat. "So, what can I do to help?"

No answer. He anxiously pounded his fists together. "Those boxes over there are all going to the Salvation Army," Sam finally said, gesturing over to the stack in the corner.

"Great, I can . . ."

"I haven't gone through any of those," Kate replied tersely.

"Okay, that's not a problem I can . . ."

"Oh what? Now all of the sudden you want to help?" Sam spat over Joey.

"I'm here aren't I?"

"Yeah, because you ran out of excuses."

"Screw you, Sam," Kate growled.

"No! I'm sick of doing this alone, Kate," she snapped.

"You're not doing any of this alone, don't be so dramatic."

"You've been flaking out on me ever since the funeral. Joey and I have been the only ones dealing with mom's assets. I went to talk with the bank and where were you? I had to meet with the people who want to run the benefit for mom and oh, you weren't there either. I had to deal with the lawyers, break the news to her old charges and friends, talk to a real estate agent to put the house on the market. I've been doing it all and I have a job on top of it! You didn't even show up when we read her will!"

"I had a charge . . ."

"Bullshit!"

"Okay, I'm going to go to the attic to get . . . stuff . . ." Joey murmured before scurrying off.

Sam took a step closer to her sister. "You better tell me what the hell is going on."

"There's nothing going on Sam," Kate hissed. "And even if there was, it's not any of your business."

"That's where you're wrong," she said. "Of course it's my business. You're my sister. And I already know what you're doing Kate."

Her face fell. "Chris told you?"

"Chris didn't have to tell me. I saw the evidence all over your desk. The lists, the spells . . ."

For a half second Kate was relieved. At least Chris hadn't told her about the drunken state she had been in while the rest of the family was reading her mother's will. Still, her sister's snooping was unacceptable. "What the hell were you doing in my room?"

"We share an apartment."

"That doesn't give you a right to start going through my things."

"It's not the point, Kate! The point is that you need to knock it off! Quit looking for trouble. Quit looking for revenge!"

"Leave me alone," Kate grumbled.

"No! I'm not going to stand by and let you go to the Underworld and start some war."

"I'm not starting a war."

"You're leaving me out to dry here. I need you," Sam said.

"From the sounds of it, you have it all under control," Kate replied coldly. Her gaze, full of emptiness and foreboding, locked onto her sister's. "Just leave it alone, Sam. You don't know the half of what is going on. You don't know what it's like. So just let me be."

Kate knew Sam was hurt. She could see it in the slightest quiver of her lower lip. Even as her glare narrowed and she locked her jaw in anger, Kate knew she had struck a cord. Since they were children, they could basically read each other's minds. They knew what the other was feeling with just a single glance. And while she felt wrong for making Sam feel so awful, it was the only thing she could do. She watched indifferently as her younger sister swiped up her purse and jacket, eyes full of hatred.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"I'm going to work," Sam replied. "And don't worry; I'll stay out of your business."

* * *

Piper Halliwell's pancakes were magical. They were magical in the sense that they could do two things; bring quiet and heal all wounds. Now as his three nieces sat across from him at the dining room table, Leo Wyatt could only smile. His theory was one hundred percent correct. As the three brunettes hovered over their plates of pancakes, there was complete silence. It wasn't the angry or sad silence that they were used to, but a good quiet. But more than the confirmation of his thesis, Leo was also appeased by the idea that sitting across from him was a trip down memory lane. It was as if the original Charmed Ones – his Charmed Ones – were before him again. And part of him swelled with delight. And for a moment he only stared in partial disbelief, a small smile touching his mouth.

A light hand on his shoulder brought him out of the daze and he grinned wider when he saw it was his wife. "You okay?" Piper asked him in confusion.

"Yeah," he nodded.

Piper gave him a suspicious glance before setting eyes on her eldest niece. "Here, Laura, honey, for your head," she spoke up, offering her an icepack.

"Thanks," she sighed, reaching out and pressing it to the lump that had formed.

"You sure you don't want to get Wyatt or Chris?" Leo asked.

"I'm sure. This is just minimal damage," Laura replied.

"These attacks haven't slowed since last week," Lila spoke up bitterly.

"That can only be expected," Leo said. "Word has probably spread that there is a new power of three. Demons are going to want to test you. They think you're fresh and you're young and they're right. Until you guys make a name for yourself this is going to continue for awhile."

"Yeah, well, I'm sick of getting my ass kicked," Laura huffed.

"Speak for yourself," Lucy chuckled. "I've been the one doing the ass kicking."

"Yeah, you're a little out of shape sis," Lila teased.

"This morning she missed the guy by like three feet. And I don't know how many times you can blast instead of freeze."

"I mean, it's not just your aim . . . it's your teleporting . . . and your control . . . you know actually, it's just all of it," Lila continued.

"All right, thank you!" Laura cut in. "I know I suck okay? I'm the one getting the crap beat out of me every attack while you guys take care of business like it's no problem. But I'm trying here."

"It'll just take a little bit of time. You'll get the hang of it before you know it. You're a Halliwell after all," Leo assured. "And you two have to remember she's been out of commission for over two years."

"Yeah, that's not our fault," Lila said.

"Do not tell me we're still on that," Laura growled.

"We're not," Piper cut in. "Back to your corners. Listen, we need to focus on this demon. We can't have anything crashing the benefit tonight."

"Well, for starters he looked like he had gotten in a fight with a tattoo ink gun," Lucy said. "It was kind of hot actually . . ."

"Gross Louie."

"Sorry."

"Well, he was wounded, so I doubt if he'll be making another appearance any time soon," Lila put in. "I can check the Book."

"I'll start with some potions when I get home," Lucy added.

"And I'd help but I have a shift at the hospital," Laura replied.

"I think we should start talking about your living arrangements," Leo suddenly spoke up.

The trio of girls looked at him with nearly identical, confused looks. "What do you mean?" Lucy asked.

"Well, it's just a suggestion," he insisted. "Your aunt Piper and I were talking about it and I think she brought up a valid point."

"Which was?"

"We think you three should start living together. And your mother agrees," Piper said.

"Had you guys been drinking?"

"What? Lucy Penelope, no," Piper scoffed. "We just remember when we first became the Power of Three and how difficult it was to do a vanquish when the three of us were in different places. I mean, even when we all moved out and had our separate families we were just a stone's throw away."

"You guys were just talking about how hard it was to keep teleporting in and out to get everyone where they needed to be," Leo added.

Lila nodded. "Believe it or not, it's actually a good point," she replied. "I mean, trust me, I want to live with you two about as much as I want to get a root canal, but it's necessary at this point. If we're going to take this Power of Three thing seriously, especially with a new Source, we need to have a place where we can fight them on our own turf."

"I don't know," Laura shook her head wistfully. "I just got used to all of this Charmed business. I don't think I can deal with new living arrangements."

"And it would be near impossible anyway," Lucy spoke up. "I have to get back to school after this New Year's weekend."

"Stanford isn't far," Leo replied.

"Yeah, forty-five minute drive on a good day," Piper agreed.

"And a two second teleport away," Lila said. "Problem solved."

Almost instantly all gazes slid over to Laura, who sat pathetically in her seat, still holding an icepack to her head. Her hazel eyes frowned with their obvious question and a groan fell from her mouth. "Don't tell me I'm the deciding factor here again," she said resentfully. "Before we get too set on this, where would we even live?"

"You're the one with a doctor's salary and a pent house suite," Lucy replied.

"I also have a landlord and neighbors," Laura countered.

"I'd offer my apartment, but it's cramped even with just Mel and I," Lila said.

"Well, I am not moving back into mom's house," Lucy told them firmly.

"I think we can all agree on that."

"Believe it or not, I think I know a place . . ." Piper mused suddenly. "You guys just keep throwing around the idea, I'll see what I can come up with here."

As she walked away, Lucy quickly called after her, "If you're going to conjure us a mansion, I want a room with a view!"

"And a hot tub!" Lila added.

"You guys are ridiculous," Laura chuckled at her younger sisters.

* * *

There were few times when Kate Mitchell ever conveyed anxiety. Her fear of needles and elevators were perhaps the only times when her countenance betrayed her, but aside from that she was always braced with stoicism. It was a nature perhaps adopted from her mother. A nature that had seemed to only improve her career as a whitelighter and witch. A quality that made her fearless if anything less than valiant.

Now, however, as she stood among the clouds and mist, she could not stop wringing her hands. She anxiously glanced around, nodding and whispering hellos to the whitelighters that glided by. It wasn't that the venue intimidated her. She had spent plenty of time up there in fact, but the prospect of the waiting Elders had her stomach swirling with unusual panic.

While nothing as traumatic as her little stint at Vince's bar had taken place in the past few days, the tribunal of magical dictators still requested her a presence and her mind could only guess exactly what was to be produced. The one assurance she had was that they had called Chris as well.

A light swirl of graceful orbs that could only belong to her cousin suddenly landed beside her. "Took you long enough," Kate scolded him.

"I had to check in at the club. I'm trying to run two New Year's Eve parties tonight," Chris said.

"Christopher . . . Katherine . . . we're ready for you," Sandra said, suddenly appearing out of the fog. Both nodded, following after her. Kate leaned in toward her cousin.

"Full names . . . not a good sign," she murmured to him.

Chris rolled his eyes as they entered the porcelain courtyard that was hazed by a thick white mist. The Elders were gathered and watched them enter with looks of diffidence. Kate and Chris stopped themselves a few yards before the clan, waiting for someone to speak up.

"We're glad you could make it," Sandra said as she joined the robed group that stared them down. Sandra was perhaps their strongest ally with the Elders. She always seemed a little more reasonable than the others. Or maybe perhaps just more sympathetic to their human plights.

"We always love the chance to confer with you," Chris mumbled.

"Let's cut to the chase," Odin suddenly spoke up. "Kate, you know why you're here."

The young whitelighter bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was out of line. I know the rules and I'm sorry."

"You could have put your charges in jeopardy," Jonnah scolded her.

"I know, I - - -"

"Drinking while charges are active is strictly forbidden," Roland put in.

"You're lucky no one ended up needing you that night," Jonnah said.

"If it was up to me your wings would be clipped, effective immediately," Odin threatened.

"What? No!"

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Chris suddenly spoke up. "She made a mistake. She was grieving, that's all."

"You're doing her no favor by condoning her behavior," Jonnah grumbled.

"She's a good whitelighter," Chris continued, relentlessly advocating for his family in a manner that was not unusual. This was where Chris excelled. Defending those he loved in a crisis was some sort of undeniable gift he had seemed to have garnered. A fierceness, the same fierceness Leo had seen in his son's eyes the night after Paige died, was back. His emeralds flickered with resolve and aggressiveness, making his words echo even sharper. "You take away her powers and duties, you're only hurting the magical community. You should know that by now."

"Should we?"

"Yes. If you weren't so busy breathing down this family's neck all the time, maybe we'd be able to focus on our job."

"And that's just the problem! You don't focus on your job! None of you do. Without us holding you accountable, who even knows if you would do it in the first place," Odin growled.

"How dare you question us after everything we have done to . . ."

"You have no discipline, no dedication, no . . ."

"You're pathetic, Odin! You're still angry because my father chose to be with his family instead of the Elders!"

"Chris!" Kate warned.

"You ungrateful, little, half-breed bastard . . ."

"Enough!" Sandra finally barked above the two scowling men. "Both of you are acting disgraceful!"

Both Chris and Odin sheepishly cast their gazes downward as the female Elder took charge. Sandra gave a satisfied nod after achieving order.

"Kate," she started, "the bottom line is that you broke the rules. Consider this your first and last second chance."

"Yes, ma'am," Kate said softly. "It won't happen again."

"Your mother would be very disappointed," Jonnah told her somberly.

The words stung but she wouldn't let them see her falter. She only kept her head bowed and avoided Chris' gaze of sympathy. Sandra cleared her throat. "You're excused," she spoke up.

"Thank you," Kate whispered. Both Halliwells prepared to orb out but Odin gruffly spoke up.

"Chris, you stay," he said.

He stopped mid-orb and as the blue lights dropped down from around him, he stared back at the council with slight concern. He swallowed hard. "Listen, I apologize for being rude, it's just that . . ."

"This is about something completely different Chris," Roland assured him.

"Oh," he murmured.

"As you're well aware, your cousins are the new Charmed Ones. It means they've been put in a position to be more directly involved with the greater good, especially against the new Source," Sandra explained.

"I know all of this," Chris nodded. "What does it have to do with me?"

"They've been constantly under attack. Now that the Underworld has learned of their identity, things will be rather extraneous," Jonnah said.

"They're in need of guidance. They're in need of a healer," Sandra told him. "They need a whitelighter and the tribunal has decided to officially assign you to be theirs."

Chris' eyes widened. "I'm the Charmed Ones' whitelighter?"

"Yes," Odin grumbled. "Conflict of interest if you ask me…"

"Well, no one did ask you Odin," Sandra quipped. Chris suppressed a smirk.

"You know the importance of this position," Jonnah told him. "The Charmed Ones are still very new to their powers and therefore vulnerable."

"I'm flattered, but I have to ask; why me? Why not Wyatt?" Chris asked.

"Wyatt would be adequate and an obvious choice, but you've proven yourself as a whitelighter. The girls need someone with grit. Someone who will motivate them, teach them, keep them on task," Sandra said. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. "Don't doubt yourself Chris. The most powerful isn't necessarily always the best suited for the job."

A blush warmed Chris' face and he lowered his chin in slight embarrassment. He hated when he was so transparent, especially when it came to his insecurities about being inferior to his elder brother. But the words of the Elders were true. Wyatt was not suited for the job. He was too happy-go-lucky, too care free, and indolent. He may have been the most powerful being in the world but Chris' work ethic had seemed to make up for what he lacked at birth.

"So, what do you say?" Roland asked.

His hazel eyes glimmered slightly. It was pride perhaps. Pride that he was now a direct part of a legacy. He may not have been a Charmed One but he would be responsible for keeping the Power of Three intact. The driving force behind their future successes. It was a position his father had once relished in. Now he would accept it decades later with great satisfaction.

"I'll be their whitelighter."

* * *

_That wraps up the start of episode 3! Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate them and if you're reading but haven't been reviewing I'd love to hear from you. As far as other logistics go concerning this story, I do truly mean it when I say I want your opinions on characters and storylines. I have free range here and while I have some general ideas in mind I'd love some more inspiration. Who's your favorite character? Who do you hate? What do you want to see more of? Etc... also I've created a wiki for this story, detailing the characters and background more closely. It's a work in progress but there are several entries up. its linked under my homepage. That's all for now! thanks for your support ~ sammy _


	12. Semi Charmed Life : Segment 2

**Episode 3 : Semi-Charmed Life **

The floors were of posh marble. The furniture of burgundy velvet and dark oak. High gothic ceilings hung above and medieval artwork decorated otherwise bland walls. And in the distance, ringing down the halls, a whine droned throughout the mansion.

Welcome to the Underworld.

"Oh God! Oh please help! Help! Help me!"

Trembling on the frigid ground was a thin man. His shirt had been removed revealing a malnourished stomach where his ribcage protruded in a sickly display. The skin of his back and arms was ashy, so pale that it was nearly gray. Most of his quivering form was stained with scarlet blood, expelling and prevalent in so many places it was difficult to tell exactly where the source began.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Oh help! Help!"

A heavy leather whip, studded with shards of rigid metal slammed down on him, ripping across his shoulder blade and pulling skin from its place. A terrible scream peeled from the back of his throat and he twisted in agony. Another lash slapped into his side and his yelp cut short as if a vocal chord had snapped.

Breaking through the painful quiet was an amused chuckle. It came from the man seated behind a desk of black granite. He leaned back in his chair, an endearing smile on his well-sculpted face. "Give him another one Urazell," he said between laughs.

At the words, the whip snapped through the air again before slamming into the victim's chest. The frail man had stopped screaming now. Only a pitiful hiss fell from his dried lips. His face, marred with scars and brimmed with bruises, avoided that of his adversaries.

"Ah, you're not going to yell? Well, that's no more fun," the man groaned. With a melodramatic yawn he picked up the glass from his desk and drained it of the black liquid contents it held. As it emptied he placed it back on the table, pointed a finger at it, and in an instant it began refilling itself. He spoke as he went about conjuring his drink. "Listen, it's nothing personal. I just need to send a message, you understand?"

The man gave no sign of comprehension, instead he quietly collapsed on the cold floor. Urazell paced above him, his large hand still clenched around the handle of his leather whip. It dragged along the floor with each step, the metallic shards scrapping behind the tassel.

"If you're not with me, you're against me," he continued. "It's the new law. Law of the Underworld. Law of the human world…"

At that he gave a very satisfied grin and took a moment to relish in the thought. His glass had finished filling itself and he took another swig. When he finished he looked back down at the ailing demon he had taken to torturing. Well, having Urazell torture.

"I like you. Really I do. Well, at least as much as I can like any of you pathetic outliers…" he said. "You're all useless to me unless you're loyal to me. And you'll learn soon that there's no point anyway without loyalty to me. We have a new system here, you see? A more organized, professional Underworld means for more success against Good. Having unsophisticated, barbaric scum like you running around is just getting in the way. You're lazy, you're stupid, and you attack without a plan. Really, it would be easier for me to just kill every demon like you and get you out of my hair."

"Malum!"

His words were cut off by a shrill voice from down the hall and he seemed to tense in his seat. The clicking of heels followed the call and his jaw clenched as a woman entered his office.

"Malum, you said this would be just another ten minutes," she snapped. Dark hair rolled down her slender shoulders, stopping at the middle of her back. She wore a trendy cocktail dress, revealing a pair of pale but strong legs and equally impressive arms. Her eyes glared at him with a hazel fire.

"Well, excuse me darling, I am just trying to run the Underworld!" Malum screamed back.

"You promised that - - -"

"I know what I promised woman!" he barked.

"I am so sick of you getting tied up with your "work"! You're just torturing this one for the fun of it!"

"Aliah I've told you to stay out of my business damn it! Now get out!"

Aliah's eyes swarmed with a dark fury and in an instant she raised a small palm. Before Malum could predict what she was about to do, a fireball formed in her grasp and she quickly threw it at the bleeding demon in front of his desk. The frail man was quickly transformed into a pile of ash and she smiled with satisfaction.

"There; business taken care of," Aliah said.

"You stupid bitch!" Malum growled. "What is wrong with you?"

"You said we would go out for New Year's Eve!"

"After I was done with work!" Malum screamed back. "I swear Aliah, if I had half a mind I would have Urazell kill you right here."

At his master's words Urazell looked over with question, already rolling an energy ball into his hands. "Sir?"

"No, no Urazell," Malum groaned.

"What? Have him kill me because you're too cowardly to do it yourself?" Aliah challenged him. "I'm your wife! I'd hope you'd show me a little more respect than that and at least kill me by your own hand!"

"Aliah, don't tempt me," he growled lowly.

"Sir?" spoke a new voice. Timidly shuffling inside was a new demon, this one rather large, arms rolled with muscle, face patterned with tattoo ink. His shoulder was bandaged but he strode with a well-harnessed ease. "You said you wanted to speak with me about tonight?"

"Yes, yes, come in," Malum mumbled, stepping out from behind his desk and hesitantly taking his glare away from Aliah. "How did the attack go this morning?"

He shrugged. "They were less prepared than I expected," he said. "But I wasn't able to get a clean shot."

"Then you'll try again tonight," Malum told him.

"Yes sir," he nodded.

"They'll all be together so you'll have to plan carefully," Malum warned.

"Together?"

"Yes. My inside source tells me that they are hosting some sort of party at their restaurant," Malum replied, taking a short drink. He loosened the scarlet tie around his neck and unbuttoned his collar. "Lots of people there. Many innocents."

"Sounds risky."

"We're not worried about exposure," Malum said. "That's their problem."

"What do you mean you're not worried about exposure? I'm worried about exposure," Aliah replied. "Not with my Delazar up there."

"And your stupid, bastard son is the last thing I'm worried about," he snarked.

"Do not talk about Delazar as if - - -"

"He is holding us back! He has been up in the mortal world for how long? And he still hasn't had any substantial break through with - - -"

"He has been in contact with the Halliwells," Aliah said. "These things take time. You shouldn't underestimate his effectiveness! And aside from that the Brotherhood would be without a leader if it weren't for him!"

"He is leader of the Brotherhood because I made him leader of the Brotherhood! Advocate all you want for him. He is weak," Malum spat. "Same weaknesses as his father."

"You're only jealous you will never be as powerful as he was!"

"Enough woman!"

"Sir?" the tattooed demon spoke up.

"Right, where were we?" Malum mumbled. "Yes, attack at the party tonight. Kill a Charmed One and I won't kill you, got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Oh, and one other thing," Malum remembered. "While you're there, why don't you kill the mayor for me, will you? I think it would be interesting. Send the mortal world into chaos, don't you think?"

Aliah rolled her eyes but the demon nodded his head as Malum continued to chuckle. "Of course sir," he said.

"Good, well, get out of here!" he screamed at him. In an instant he shimmered out of sight, leaving Malum, Aliah, and Urazell still in the spacious office. Malum gave a sigh as he looked to his wife. "What are you hungry for? Chinese?"

"I was thinking Thai," Aliah said as he strode over. She slipped her arm into the crook of his as the two walked out.

"You know Thai food upsets my stomach," Malum groaned.

"What kind of demon are you?"

"One with a very sensitive digestive system."

* * *

_It was crowded. In fact, she couldn't remember the restaurant ever being so full and deep down it was starting to make her claustrophobic. At least it seemed like the party had turned out nice. It was something out of a movie with everyone dressed like they had stepped off the red carpet. There was a band dressed in matching penguin suits at one end of the Triquetra and waiters in white jackets carried trays of champagne and appetizers. _

_The round tables that were strategically scattered about the room were mostly full, and attention was turned towards the mahogany podium set at the head of the restaurant. Someone was speaking but she couldn't see who. She was too busy watching her three cousins nearly kill each other with glares as they stood in a circle at the back of the room, hissing something inaudible at one another. Chris seemed to be refereeing in the middle of it, face strained with frustration. She was about to walk over and see what was unfolding between the new power of three, when suddenly the restaurant became loud with applause._

_Spinning on her heel to face the podium, she found San Francisco's very own mayor finishing up a speech and graciously waving out to the audience. As the clapping continued and he beamed happily out at the group, she suddenly saw an out of place figure out of the corner of her eye. Before she could try to discern the leather clad guest, a fast moving energy ball split through the crowd, not stopping on its route until it slammed into the mayor's unsuspecting throat. _

_Screams echoed throughout the restaurant as more energy balls began to fly. In a panic people rose from their seats, knocking over plates and chairs sprinting for the nearest exit. And behind her all she could hear was Chris' disbelieving rage. "Shit." _

"Are you sure that's not being too forward? I don't want to come across as some crazy stalker or something, you know?"

Sam was unaware how long Jack Mason had been voicing his concern by the time she snapped out of the premonition that had blindsided her. She quickly shook her head, attempting to release herself from the grips of her subconscious. Her chestnut eyes frantically scanned around the Bay Mirror office as if she somehow expected to find reassurance in the chaotic newsroom.

"Sam? You okay?" Jack asked. He maneuvered his face in front of hers, garnering her attention with a nervous smirk.

"Yeah, sorry," she apologized. She cleared her throat. "Just having a . . . moment . . ."

"Can I get you something? Water?"

"No, really, I'm fine," Sam insisted. "What were we talking about?"

"You said that you had an extra ticket to the benefit tonight and I was asking you how creepy it would be if I asked Melinda to join me..."

"Go for it," she said as she brushed past him, trying to dodge fellow colleagues. Jack spun around in confusion.

"What? Where are you going?" he asked.

"Nothing – I mean, nowhere, just don't worry about it, okay?" Sam said frantically.

It wasn't often that she was consumed by a premonition as vital as this. In fact, it was rare she had very vivid premonitions at all. It was very much a secondary power that she had yet to embrace. Lucy was the clairvoyant one; Sam just contributed every once in awhile with miniscule happenings or a rare demonic insights.

It was all the more reason to report it to whoever it concerned. To be honest she didn't know exactly where she was headed as she left the Bay Mirror office, she simply knew she needed to warn her family. With a demon like this, the benefit was going to be one hell of a party.

"Is it really that bad of an idea?" Jack called after her.

His question went unanswered as she slipped out of sight.

* * *

"Hospital food isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be," Lucy Halliwell announced. She sat at a small square table in the corner of the San Francisco Memorial cafeteria, a generous variety of lunchtime foods on her plate.

Lila poked less than appeased at a salad as she sat across from her younger sister, looking up only when she saw Chris and Laura on their way toward them, both carrying trays of food. "This reminds me of high school," Chris chuckled as he sat next to Lucy.

"Yeah, except Laura has people to sit with," Lila quipped.

Her elder sister shot her a pointed glare, but no protest came. To put it nicely, Laura had been anything but social during high school, and had seemed to spend more time at Golden Gate attempting to blend into the background than be the life of the party.

"Not that I'm not glad you all came to have lunch with me," Laura spoke up, "but what are you doing here?"

"Well, since you wouldn't come to us, we thought we'd come to you," Chris answered, his mouth stuffed full with a sandwich.

Laura raised an eyebrow. "That sounds suspiciously important. What's going on?"

"He wouldn't tell me anything," Lucy said with a shrug.

"So…" Lila asked Chris.

"I just had a meeting with the Elders," he finally answered.

"Oh great," Lila groaned. "How'd that go?"

"Eh, better than expected. Odin is still a pain in the ass but that's beside the point," he said, wiping his mouth.

"Well, what'd they say?" Lucy asked.

"That you three are vulnerable as the new power of three," Chris said. "They said you need a whitelighter...and they assigned me to be that whitelighter."

"That's great!" Lila nearly shouted.

"Welcome to the team cuz," Lucy added with a grin.

"Much rather have you than some random jerk," Laura agreed.

"Well, I may not be random at least," Chris said. "No guarantees on not being a jerk. The Elders assigned me to not only heal and guide you but to teach you and keep you on task."

"Like a drill sergeant?" Lucy sighed.

"More or less so," he shrugged. "I'm just supposed to make sure you reach your full potential."

"Eh, I hate full potential," she muttered.

"First order of business," Chris spoke up. "The demon that attacked this morning - the one with the tattoos – his name is Phazon."

"Phazon?" Laura repeated.

"Yes. Upper-level demon. Works mainly as an assassin," Chris elaborated. "In most cases can be vanquished by a high power potion."

"I've already started on a batch," Lila said.

"We'll have to be ready at the party tonight," he told them. "I just have a bad feeling. I think we should strategize. Laura, if he attacks you need to . . ."

Chris' words fell short as an interloper crept in on the conversation, coming up behind Laura with a good natured smirk. She furrowed her brow in confusion at her cousin/whitelighter before a large pair of familiar hands fell on her shoulders.

"There you are," James said. "I've been looking all over for you."

Laura's mouth nearly dropped in surprise as she whipped around in her chair to face him. Chris, Lila, and Lucy seemed equally dumbfounded, eyes glazed with shock. "James!" she choked out. "Hi."

"Hi . . ." he mumbled back, his stare growing confused. "What happened to you this morning? I woke up and your clothes were there but you weren't."

"You said you were at the hospital," Lucy whispered bitterly.

"That's because I was," Laura nodded. "Yeah, I got a page this morning and I didn't want to wake you."

"But then why . . ."

"Laura, you haven't properly introduced us," Lila cut in, saving her sister from further lies about the demon spar that morning but delving into a new daring topic.

"Uh right . . . well James, these are my sisters, Lila and Lucy," Laura began nervously. "And this is my cousin Chris."

"I've heard so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you," James smiled graciously, shaking Lila's hand and then moving onto Lucy's.

"Really? That's weird because Laura hasn't mentioned a word about you," Lucy said.

James' blue eyes flashed with surprise and Laura nearly died of embarrassment. "Oh," the doctor mumbled. He glanced over his shoulder at Laura who couldn't think of anything to say before Chris broke in.

"Laura's pretty private, I'm sure you know," he said.

"Yeah, I basically had to beg her to let me meet you," James replied as the two men shook hands.

"So you're her boyfriend?" Lila asked.

Laura bit on her lower lip, wincing in further mortification as James tried to hide his hurt. "Yeah. Yes," he nodded.

"How long have you been dating?"

"A year," Laura said.

"A year and a half this February," James added.

"Wow," Lucy mumbled. "Well, you've been a pretty well kept secret."

"Sure sounds that way," he said.

"Well, you're coming to the benefit tonight, right?" Chris grinned.

Another confounded look flashed across James' face as more terror hit Laura's. Chris immediately regretted his words as his cousin faltered to make another lame excuse for keeping her beau in the dark. "Benefit?" James repeated.

"Yeah, it's a New Year's Eve party. Biggest event in town. The Triquetra's hosting it," Lucy replied.

James seemed uninterested by the details and kept his eyes trained on his squirming girlfriend. "I wasn't even sure if I was going to go," Laura reasoned.

"What? Laura you - - -"

Chris plopped a hand over Lucy's mouth, drowning out her troubling interjection. "I was going to surprise you," Laura continued. "If of course you even want to come…"

"Of course I want to come," James scoffed. Laura could sense the edge in his voice and knew that he was beyond pissed.

"Great," she nearly whispered.

"Then you can meet the rest of the family," Chris added with forced positivity.

"I'm guessing they don't know about me either," James said coldly, glare locked on Laura's hazel eyes. An uncomfortable silence settled around the group when suddenly breaking the quiet was the crackling intercom above.

"Paging Dr. Halliwell. Dr. Halliwell to ICU. Dr. Halliwell to ICU," the speakers announced boldly.

Laura gave a shaky breath, straightening out her white lab coat and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I have to go," she said timidly. She pressed onto her tip toes and pecked a kiss onto James' locked jaw before giving her family a nervous farewell. "Bye."

"Bye!" the trio called after her.

"That was awkward," Lila mumbled.

"Yeah," Chris whispered with wide emerald eyes.

* * *

No one had expected Wyatt Matthew Halliwell to ever put on a chef's jacket.

As the most powerful being to ever walk the Earth, there had been some sort of unspoken assumption that he would simply devote himself to saving the world and protecting good. He still did those things of course. He still was coming to the rescue of innocents and defeating demons and evil. But unlike their predictions his passion lie with something much different.

He could still remember the first time his mother taught him how to crack an egg. He remembered his first successful dish. He remembered spending hours in the kitchen, experimenting with food and spices and tastes. It was a game for him. And when he cooked, he had a habit of pouring his heart and soul into his work.

Attending the California Culinary Academy after high school had only heightened his skills. It was natural for him. The truth was, though no one would say it, he had even surpassed his mother. He had earned the Triquetra a four star title a year ago and was well on his way to making it five. The critics loved him and his name was starting to be associated with the best in the San Francisco area.

When it came down to it, cooking was Wyatt's escape. It was an escape from the pressures of his calling. An escape from the expectations that came from being Twice Blessed and savior of the greater good. For a moment, cooking could make him feel normal. It kept him humble, motivated, and above all else happy. Even if it took him away from his Wiccan duties more often than the Elders liked.

"It's delicious."

"You've said that about every dish."

"That's because every dish is delicious," Melinda Halliwell told her brother as she sat at the high counter in the industrial sized kitchen of the Triquetra.

"I think you just don't want to hurt my feelings," Wyatt chuckled. "If you don't give me any criticism, how am I supposed to make it better?"

"You want to know your problem?" Joey asked. He sat next to Melinda, a plate of Wyatt's appetizers in front of him.

"What?"

"That you're asking us for culinary advice," Joey said. "Between the two of us we can boil a pot of water and make sandwiches."

"He makes a good point," Melinda nodded in agreement. "Besides, Wy, you know people will like whatever you make."

"Especially if it's an open bar," Joey chuckled.

"Thank you, Junior," Wyatt laughed. He spun his chopping knife expertly around his hand before resuming slicing a bright orange bell pepper.

"So, you have a date for tonight?" Melinda asked her younger cousin.

"Nope," he answered with a sigh. He gave her a wink. "Would you do me the honor?"

"Only if you shower," Melinda quipped.

"Consider yourself the luckiest girl in the world. I'll even wear clean socks," Joey said.

"Speaking of attire, did you pick up the suits?" Melinda asked. She watched as Joey's face remained blank and elaborated with slight concern. "The suits? For you and dad and Chris…"

"Shit!" he exclaimed, jumping down from his seat.

Wyatt laughed. "You have one job dude. You sit around the manor all day and you can't remember the pick up the suits for mom?"

"Hey! Don't hate because you're jealous," Joey told him as he slipped on his jacket. "Besides Aunt Piper says she likes my company and I can live at the manor as long as I want."

"That's because she knows you would starve otherwise," Wyatt teased.

Joey narrowed a good natured glare at his cousin and pretended to raise a fist. Melinda cleared her throat. "Joey, suits! Now, go!"

"Right, sorry, I'll see you later date," he said before stumbling out the double doors of the kitchen and leaving Wyatt and Melinda.

"You ready for tonight?" Melinda asked her brother. Wyatt shrugged.

"Probably not," he smiled as he tossed a pinch of salt into a boiling pot of soup, "but we usually manage. Just don't tell Chris that."

"My lips are sealed," she replied. "Where is he anyway? I thought he'd be running around here like a little Stalin by now."

"He had to meet with the Elders about something and he hasn't been back since," Wyatt answered.

Before more could be exchanged a flash of cerulean lights nearly blinded them and appearing instantaneously was Sam. Her brown locks seemed to be in a bit of a tangle and her eyes were harried with news that had yet to be revealed. "You're a little late for the taste test," Wyatt told her.

"Everything okay?" Melinda asked, feeling the nervous energy that poured from her elder cousin.

"I had a premonition," Sam said breathlessly. She took the empty seat next to Melinda and brushed back her hair.

"Of what?"

"Tonight," she replied. "Someone – a demon – kills the mayor at the party."

Wyatt's face dropped with dread. "You're sure it was a demon?"

"Yes, I'm sure it was a demon," Sam snapped, annoyed at his disbelief. "Tattooed face. Kills the mayor with an energy ball to the throat. It sends the entire restaurant into chaos."

"From what mom said, it sounds like the demon that attacked the girls earlier this morning," Wyatt mumbled.

"I know you're not going to want to do this, but you should tell Chris," Melinda told her brother.

"It's going to make him even crazier about tonight," Wyatt groaned. He whipped the dishtowel over his shoulder and replaced his chopping knife into his belt. "He's neurotic enough as it is."

"Tell him, or I will," Melinda threatened.

"Fine, fine," he caved.

"What can I do to help?" Sam asked.

"Write down every detail you remember from the premonition. You're going to have to help Chris and I with demon patrol tonight."

"Oh goody…"

* * *

The call had been urgent.

Over the years Kate had become able to differentiate between the requests of her charges. A single breath or hitch in their voice could usual indicate the severity of a witch's malady or future whitelighter's plague. Tonight the call could not have been anymore grave.

By the time she arrived she could nearly hear the decreasing heart beat of the charge in her ears. The young witch was a limp in the corner of an abandon warehouse, a deep wound visible at just a glance. "Kate?" she choked.

"I'm here Valerie," Kate assured her as she closed in on the weak charge. She took to her knees once reaching her, staining the fabric of her jeans with the sticky blood that surrounded them.

"It hurts . . ."

"I know, I know," she said calmly. "But it's going to be okay. Just take a deep breath Valerie . . ."

The serene composure Kate Mitchell was able to maintain in even the most gruesome situations was rather profound. It was a strength that ranked her among the best whitelighters and had won her the trust of all her charges. When they were in trouble they knew she would come. They depended on her. They needed her strength. And each time Kate would bring it to them.

There was always a sinking feeling in her stomach when she first raised her hands to heal. Part of her would cringe and fill with anxiety as she waited for her hands to glow gold. The pause was always torturous and long as if teasing her with the prospect that death had won out.

Fortunately for Kate and Valerie, today was not such a case.

Still, even as a healing warmth shot from her hands and the gapping wound at the fallen witch's side began to seal itself shut, the sinking feeling never left. In fact, it only grew more intense. The sour taste of vomit in Kate's mouth became hot and unbearable. Her hands trembled uncontrollably and her head pounded with castigation.

And suddenly it was no longer Valerie who lay injured beneath her.

It was Paige.

They were no longer in the warehouse, they were in the manor.

And Kate was no longer successfully helping a charge, but her mother was dying before her eyes all over again.

The shaking became more overpowering in her hands, creeping up her arms and chattering her teeth. She squeezed her eyes closed, desperate to convince herself that it was all just her imagination. It was all in her mind.

"_Help me . . . Kate . . . help. I'm dying Kate . . ."_

She could hear her mother's voice so clearly that she could only come to the conclusion that Paige was there, tears fallings, blood spilling, life fading, all over again. She was failing her again.

"Mom no," Kate whimpered.

Valerie, whose healing was almost finished, grew worried at her whitelighter's confusing words. "Kate?"

"I can do it," Kate muttered breathlessly. A chill enveloped her as she shook her head. It was Valerie beneath her again, her wound almost healed. Then in another breath it was Paige. "Mom please…"

"_Help me Kate. You're letting me die!" _

"No!" she yelled, her voice echoing loudly off the concrete walls. She nearly jumped back from Valerie's now healthy form, trembling and pale in her delusion. Her charge anxiously sat up, nearly crawling after her.

"Kate? It's okay," Valerie murmured worriedly.

"No. No. No, I can do it," Kate chanted as she squeezed her eyes shut. She subtly rocked back and forth, the hallucination of her mother the only thing locked in her memory. The moment replayed over and over. Paige's dead form. Her blood. Her final breaths. It was all Kate could see and feel. And suddenly the real was unreal and the unreal was real. She pulled in a shuddering breath, pulling back when Valerie reached out a hand to touch her. "Stop!"

Valerie was startled at Kate's reaction and quickly removed her hand. "Kate, it's okay…we're here. I'm fine. You're fine."

"Leave . . ." Kate hissed.

"But - - -"

"Go!" she shouted. She never opened her eyes for confirmation of the witch's disappearance. Nor did she stop rocking or muttering. Nor did the trembling stop or the images disappear.

Kate was gone again.

* * *

_thank you all so much for the reviews! i took your feedback into consideration and though it may be hard to tell right away, some of the ideas are taking shape in the story. i've introduced the new source and the brotherhood will also become more prevalent soon enough. also i'm thinking about centering kate's problems on a PTSD storyline. um...oh! and i've been meaning to say this, but i know at times it seems like characters are being kind of pushed aside in certain episodes (or multiple episodes) but i have a plan for all of them so no worries! they will all be eventually included, it's just hard to put it all together when you're trying to tie up other arcs. anyway, that's all for now. thanks for the reviews and i hope to see more! ~ sammy _


	13. Semi Charmed Life : Segment 3

They rode in silence.

The only sounds that assaulted her ears were the hum of the Mercedes' engine and its tires spinning about on the damp pavement. She anxiously fiddled with her fingers, wondering how many times she could avoid eye contact by gazing at her nails. Still, she knew avoidance was useless, just as it always was. They hadn't spoken since the hospital and when he picked her up from her apartment he had only opened her car door and pressed on the gas. Biting on her lower lip, she knew all too well what needed to take place before more awkwardness could crush her.

"Are we going to talk?" she asked.

"I don't know. Seems you're the one avoiding all the talking lately," James answered back.

He was hurt. She knew that much. James would never tell her of course, but Laura could see it in the deep set lines of his face. She saw it in the way his eyes had saddened at the hospital cafeteria.

"I'm sorry," Laura told him.

"I don't want an apology, Laura," he murmured. His grey-blue eyes remained locked on the road, grip still wrapped on the sleek steering wheel of his luxury car.

"Well then what do you want?"

"I want to know the truth," James said. "I want to know why you hadn't mentioned me to them."

Laura shook her head. "It's nothing you need to be worried about."

"I'm not worried, I'm angry!" he nearly shouted. He glanced over at her as the car stopped at a red light. The neon glow splashed onto his face through the windshield, making his frustration all the more palpable. Laura swallowed with dread. "Is it because you're embarrassed of me?"

"No!"

"Or is it because you don't think I'm worth telling your family about because you don't see us having a future together?" James asked. His words were so calm that it made her heart cool.

"It's not that at all James," she whispered. "You couldn't be further from the truth."

"Then what is the truth?"

"I didn't tell my family about you because I . . . I just didn't," Laura stammered. "They complicate things James, that's why. They always have. I guess it was selfish of me but I just didn't want to mix things. You are the one simple, stable thing in my life right now and I-I don't want to lose you."

His expression softened at her honest declaration and a discrete frown pulled at his mouth. "You're not going to lose me," James said gently. "But if we're going to be together . . . if we're going to stay together, I want into your life. I need you to be open with me. Sometimes I feel like I know nothing about you."

"You know me Jamie," she told him. Her hazel eyes glimmered with compassion and longing. While it seemed staid and generalized, it couldn't be closer to the truth. Perhaps James knew nothing of her family's past, of her powers, or her Wiccan calling, but what he did know was all he needed. He knew Laura better than she knew herself. "Knowing my family or them knowing you won't change any of that."

"I know," he whispered. "But I just want to be a part of your life. I just want you to let me in. Okay?"

"Okay," Laura murmured hoarsely. He leaned in for a kiss and she tenderly complied, though her thoughts tangled with more pressing matters; for letting James in was far more complicated than he could ever predict. As they released she glanced up in time for a subtle escape. "Green light."

* * *

When Piper Halliwell had opened the Triquetra fifteen years earlier she wasn't sure of exactly what she was getting into. When it had all first began the timing had seemed right. Wyatt and Chris were both in high school, sophomore and junior year respectively. Melinda was coming to her powers beautifully and slowly coming to accept her Wiccan half, her sisters had stopped having babies, and the club was still financially sound. With one last nudge out the door by Leo, who insisted she finally follow her dreams, she had taken a leap of faith.

The venture was undoubtedly risky. The business loan and commercial expenses had put her under so far that there were points in which she was not sure if they'd even have the funds to open. Her heart and soul had gone into the restaurant, that much was certain. When she wasn't busy with her family, all time and energy was invested in the Triquetra. Still, even after the establishment had opened, its stability was never certain. She and Leo could still recall many a sleepless night, laying awake and wondering if they'd be able to pay the bills, feed their children, and keep the house. In the end of course, nothing as dramatic ever came about, but there were several touch and go moments when it came to the restaurant's financial health.

In fact, the Triquetra itself may have been the greatest testament of Piper Halliwell's perseverance. It was a living symbol of her steadfastness that had been harvested over her lifetime. Her dream had come true. The restaurant's success as a whole was simply icing on the cake. She'd be lying of course, if she denied that her sons didn't have anything to do with the Triquetra's eminent achievements. Chris' keen business sense and Wyatt's talent had grown the eatery into a money maker, so much so that they had nearly forced Piper into retirement a year earlier. They still amazed her. Her sons, running her restaurant with such ease and success made her fill with pride rather than jealousy. And in the end the payoff was never the profit or the glory, but instead watching the hard work ethic of her boys produce both joy and a sense of accomplishment. Most of all, she loved that the restaurant was something the three of them were devoted to together.

"It looks amazing," Leo said in slight awe as they entered the Triquetra. He had Piper at his right arm, and when they had approached the restaurant from outside they had been nearly blown away by the amount of people, cars, media, and commotion that surrounded their once humble eatery. The inside didn't disappoint either.

"Are you sure this is my restaurant?" Piper chuckled.

The Triquetra looked as though it had been transformed into a glitzy playground for the rich. The place bounced with noise from the live band, hummed with conversation, and glowed with bright colored gowns and sparkling lights.

"Congratulations," Leo grinned, pecking his wife on the cheek.

She shook her head as she gave a light laugh. "Thank you, but this was all the work of your brilliant sons," she replied.

"Say what you will, but they had to get their start from someone," he whispered in her ear.

"Okay, so maybe I can take partial responsibility," Piper said as they continued scanning the prodigious display of opulence. Leo stopped leading her around and positioned her to face him, grabbing her hands into his own.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

His eyes glowered with vehement compassion and she nearly melted. So many times Leo surprised her. It was amazing that he could still make her nearly crumble with a few simple words or a tender gaze. In the last few years she had probably fallen in love all over again and sometimes she couldn't stand it. It was paralyzing to know he wielded such power over her.

"I couldn't be happier," she answered in a soft whisper. The piano continued to coo a light melody around them, nearly drowning out their shared chuckles. He softly pulled her in closer to him, their hips grazing together as he wrapped his arms around her lower back. She was warmed by his gentle breath and the squeeze of his chest. In a perfected swoop he lowered his lips to hers and the sweetness of the embrace could not have been more breathtaking. Its simplicity made it all the more passionate.

"God, what is with you two being all over each other lately?" interrupted a familiar voice.

The couple hesitantly pulled apart, not the least bit astonished by seeing their youngest son standing before them. "Why do you always have to barge in? You've been doing it since you were four," Piper scoffed as she twisted around in Leo's arms.

"Good habits are hard to break," Chris quipped easily, still grinning slightly. No matter how often he griped about his parents' affection for one another, it did bring him secret joy to see them so in love.

"Chris, the place looks amazing," Leo told his son. "You did a great job. I know it was a lot of work."

A grin tickled the side of Chris' mouth at his father's approval. His amusement soon faded however as his mother stepped forward and began fussing with his collar. "Mom…"

"Just let me straighten it," Piper insisted, adjusting the black satin tie around his neck. When she finished she went on to messing with his chestnut bangs and he squirmed in annoyance. "You look so cute."

"Cute? Great, thank you."

"That's what I said!" Samantha Mitchell laughed as she joined the group. She looked to Chris with seriousness. "Nothing around the perimeter…"

"I checked the guest list and nothing is suspicious," he added.

"Wait, what's going on?" Piper asked.

"Sam had a premonition that a demon was going to attack tonight. The mayor is the target," Chris said.

"Oh, and here I was looking forward to a demon free party like a normal family," she sighed. Leo tightened his arm around her in a squeeze of comfort. Still, it was little to soothe Piper's worries.

"We have it taken care of," Chris assured.

"Right…" Piper grumbled. "You know, whenever you say 'we have it taken care of' it makes me more worried…"

"I'm going to try to not take that personal," he said bitterly.

"Look, Lila and Gage are here," Sam interjected, pointing across the room.

The couple approached with ease, Lila at Gage's arm as if showing up at an A-list party was nothing out of the ordinary. The truth was they looked the part. Lila was as gorgeous as ever and Gage only seemed to compliment her good looks with his own. His brilliant green eyes and dirty blonde hair were enough to make anyone swoon, and when he took the time to clean himself up, he was almost as breathtaking as his half-cupid girlfriend.

"Hey, there's a guest list; beautiful and important people only. I'd like to know how you two slipped past," Chris teased before giving Gage a "bro" hug.

"I was under the impression that Chris Halliwell was throwing the party. Thought you'd be happy if anyone showed up at all," Gage chuckled back as they released.

Since they were boys Chris and Gage had been close. While Wyatt was his best friend, Gage had always ended up being Chris' partner in mischief. As children they would terrorize the girls during play dates and family gatherings, usually earning them several shrieks of terror, scowls of annoyance, and long kept grudges. Their age difference never seemed to keep them from liking one another and at times Billie and Piper tried to keep the boys a part if only to avoid headache. Now as grown men they often met up for beers, watched sporting events together, and conferred about magical matters on a weekly basis.

"Lila that dress is gorgeous on you," Sam told her cousin while the boys went on their own tangent about football.

"Thanks," she smiled. "And you look beautiful."

"You only say that because you chose the dress," Sam chuckled. "But thank you."

It was no secret that Lila was the fashionista of the family. Her love for fashion and clothes usually had her raiding the wardrobes of her female cousins and aunts and in return they were often coming to her for advice. Of course, the only downside to Lila's "talent for fashion" was the shopping addiction that seemed to come with it.

As the Halliwells began losing themselves in conversation and teasing, the onset of more family members only seemed to expand the exuberant group. Phoebe arrived with a look of awe and was embraced by her sister and brother-in-law and niece and nephew almost instantly. Following shortly after was Joey, a girl at each arm; Melinda on one and Lucy at the other. He wore a devilish grin as they joined the massive clan, earning him snarky jibes from Chris and Gage who claimed his cousins always were the only girls he could ever convince to take to a dance.

From the outside they were a rather intimidating brood. Even without knowledge of their true mystical powers, their simple presence as such a loud and proud bunch was enough to make any foreigner to the family uncomfortable. Their constant jeering, sarcastic nature, and other times physical affection for one another in the form of hugs and pinched cheeks, were to some more distant families out of the ordinary. For others it was something to envy. Their closeness, especially among a group as large and diverse as their own, was magic in itself. And while it seemed unapproachable at first, the sense of belonging could not be more affluent among them.

"Hey, thanks for being completely M.I.A. today," Lucy said to her mother.

"I left a note!"

"A note that said 'watch your back.' You couldn't have been any more specific than that?" she asked.

"I was in a hurry. Besides, the meeting with the publishers went much longer than I expected," Phoebe sighed.

"Aunt Pheebs, I hate to be a jerk, but I still don't understand how you can be writing a sequel to a book about love when you and uncle Coop separated," Joey spoke up.

"It's about just because you fall out of love, doesn't mean you should lose faith in it," Phoebe answered.

"Ew, I think I threw up a little," Chris teased.

"Christopher Perry," Phoebe scolded. "Just for that I'm making sure you get the first copy."

"You know I've caught him referencing your first book more than once," Gage chuckled.

"Yeah I took it from under Joey's pillow," Chris quipped.

"Why am I always taking the heat of your burns?" Joey groaned.

While the boys began shoving each other and tormenting one another further, Piper scanned the family in curiosity. "Who are we missing?" she asked.

"Well, Wyatt's in the kitchen," Melinda said.

"And Kate has a habit of not showing up lately," Sam muttered bitterly.

"Laura's not here either," Melinda added.

"Hey, speaking of Laura, we met her boyfriend today," Lila cut in.

"Laura has a boyfriend?" Joey asked, swatting Gage's hand away from his hair.

"Oh yeah."

"What? Why didn't I know about this?" Phoebe asked in slight hurt.

"No one knew about it," Lucy assured. "She's been keeping him a secret for a year now."

"A year?" Sam gasped.

"Who is the guy?" Melinda asked.

"A doctor. James was his name," Lucy replied. "And he seemed to be under the impression that Laura had told us about him, so low and behold he was pretty pissed when he realized she has been hiding him…"

"Well, what's wrong with him? Is he hideous or something?"

Chris anxiously cleared his throat, cutting off her question and shifting the groups' attention toward the couple that was fast approaching.

As if the evening could not be anymore uncomfortable, Laura felt herself blush when the entire clan of Halliwells ahead of her and James sported stares in their direction. She could feel James' arm tense slightly. "Is that them?" he whispered to her as they walked.

"Yep," she answered.

"You mean all of them are them?"

"Yeah, don't say I didn't warn you," Laura murmured.

"Hey!" was the simultaneous, loud, and lively greeting echoed by a handful of Halliwells who stood idle when James and Laura came within earshot.

"Hey," Laura awkwardly smiled back. The family stared with gaping eyes, analyzing James as if he were a newly discovered specimen. No one spoke a word and as the uncomfortable atmosphere grew more stagnant, Laura cleared her throat. "Everyone this is James Clement. James . . . this is my family."

"Hi James," they echoed in near unison again.

"Hey," he waved back nervously. Laura could see he was trying his best to remain at ease but the discomfort was radiating off him. Melinda even shifted at the awkwardness in the group and couldn't help but slip a few feet away.

Phoebe on the other hand eagerly stepped forward, a suspicious haze still on her face as she studied her daughter's beau. It was unlike Laura to keep things from her. Okay, maybe it wasn't. For the past two years they had been distant. In fact, not until the entire Power of Three business had they really been in each other's lives. But Laura hiding her boyfriend; that hurt Phoebe. It was a pain she would never fess up to but couldn't suppress.

"James, this is my mother, Phoebe Halliwell," Laura said, anxiously glancing between her mother and boyfriend.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Laura's told me so many great things about you," James told her as they shook hands.

Phoebe's eyes widened. "She has?" she nearly choked. "I mean, nice to meet you too."

"This is my aunt Piper and my uncle Leo," Laura continued, with the introductions, desperate to just get them out of the way and make the James situation a little more comfortable. Not that it would probably ever be possible so long as he was in the dark about their more "interesting" family heritage.

"It's a pleasure," James nodded graciously, shaking both Piper and Leo's hands. He was polite. Polished and primed, that was a plus. Granted, manners didn't get you far in this family, and Laura worried he was too genuine for his own good.

After his exchange with Piper and Leo, Laura rushed through more introductions. "These are mostly my cousins. This is Sam Mitchell and her brother Joey…That's Melinda, she's Chris' sister…Piper and Leo are their parents actually…and you've already met my sisters. That's Gage, Lila's boyfriend…my other cousin Wyatt is the head chef here so he's in the kitchen and I guess Kate isn't here yet…and that's it."

"Don't worry if you don't remember all the names," Piper said. "You'll get the hang of it."

"Yeah," James nodded with a light blush. "Well, it's nice to meet everyone. Laura's told me nothing but good things about all of you."

"How much did she pay you to say that?" Lucy joked.

"Yeah, maybe his tie is a little too tight," Joey added.

"Seriously dude, you're looking a little uncomfortable," Chris teased, throwing an arm around James. "Are you uncomfortable?"

"N-No," he managed with a nervous chuckle.

"Here, we can loosen this tie for you," Joey said, reaching forward to adjust James' collar. The doctor squirmed uneasily, still under Chris' hold.

"James huh? Do you mind if I call you Jimmy?" Sam added to the good-natured jeering. By now Laura nudged Joey away, giving him a death glare as she did so. He only gave her a charismatic wink.

"Uh…I usually go by James…"

"James? That's so classy. Isn't that classy Lila?" Lucy said.

"Sorry they're making you feel so nervous James," Melinda apologized with a sigh, well aware of the emotions that reverberated through the doctor.

"I'm not nervous," James insisted.

"Oh you're nervous?" Chris asked. "Trust me, if Mel says you're nervous, you're nervous buddy."

"Why you nervous Jimmy?" Joey asked, inching closer to James.

"Okay, guys quit giving him a hard time," Leo spoke up.

"Yeah, that's enough for one evening. He'll never come back otherwise," Piper added with a chuckle.

"Trust me, when he learns about our other "great qualities", he may not ever want to come back anyway," Lila muttered. James' brow furrowed in confusion, while Laura gave her sister a warning glare. A tension seemed to settle in the air and no one needed to be an empath to feel uneasy.

"Speaking of "great qualities" are you guys going to take care of that problem?" Piper cleared her throat.

"Yes mother," Chris hissed back.

"Problem?" James asked.

"Yeah . . . no . . . uh . . ." Laura stammered anxiously and Chris quickly came to her aid.

"Plumbing problem," he answered. "Bathrooms. Need plumbing . . ."

"Right it's the toilets," Lila nodded slowly. The Halliwells were all silent, chewing on their lips with anxiety as James shifted his eyes around in confusion.

"Speaking of which, we need to talk about that," Chris said, grabbing both Laura and Lucy by the arm and pulling them away.

"Talk about the toilets?" Lucy asked.

"No time," Chris mumbled as he yanked both sisters away from the group. Lila rolled her eyes and followed after.

"I'll be back in a minute," Laura called over her shoulder as the foursome disappeared into the crowd.

"Come on, how about we go get to know each other better?" Joey said, slapping James on the back. "Drinks are on me."

"That was awful," Laura growled as Chris led the girls through the double doors of the kitchen. It was a near circus inside with people yelling, dishes clattering, and cooks scrambling about.

"What are you doing in here?" Wyatt yelled across the room.

Chris waved him off, not stopping until he reached the near empty room that served as one of the restaurant's many freezers. He yanked open the door and looked to the three Halliwell sisters. "After you," he advised.

"A freezer? Really?" Lucy asked.

"It's the only place we can talk without being heard," Chris muttered as they entered. He slammed the door behind them and sighed. Lucy plopped down on a crate while Laura folded her arms across her chest, a menacing pout on her face as she stared Lila down.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she nearly shouted.

"What do you mean what is wrong with me?" Lila barked.

"Why did you have to say that in front of James?"

"It's not my fault you haven't told him anything yet!" Lila yelled.

"Oh now you're angry that I haven't told James about my being a witch?"

"No, I just think it's ridiculous you've been with a guy for over a year and you haven't introduced him to the family or even mentioned him to your sisters!" she shouted.

"Okay, both of you stop!" Chris barked. Laura and Lila both fell silent, identical brown glares still locked on one another. "It doesn't matter. We have more important things to worry about and I'm not going to spend my time as your whitelighter being a referee."

"That's wishful thinking," Lucy mumbled.

"I don't care if you're pissy with each other, so long as it doesn't get in the way of what we have to do tonight," he continued. "Now I've talked with Molly, the event coordinator. She says that the Mayor is not scheduled nor has he mentioned anything about a speech tonight."

"Then how does he end up at the podium?" Lila asked.

"It's spontaneous," Laura said softly.

"It means we'll have to be on guard all night. It also means you need to keep your eyes open. Phazon doesn't have the power to shape shift, so you'll know when you see his face in the crowd."

"Right, so we haven't really planned past that point if you haven't noticed," Lucy replied.

"Well, as soon as we're sure, Laura can put on the freeze," Chris said, glancing over to the eldest Charmed One. She sheepishly bit on her lower lip.

"That's the thing," Laura told him. "I've been having a few control issues lately…"

"It wasn't a problem before, but now that there are a ton of innocents around," Lila added.

"There's no telling if she'll freeze the place or kill everyone," Lucy put simply.

"Okay, well, mom or Mel can also freeze if need be," Chris nodded more anxiously now. "Hopefully it won't come to that though."

"I can cover the mayor," Lucy suggested.

"No, I'll cover the mayor," Lila said.

"What? No fair, why you?"

"I have the ability to teleport," Lila replied. "I can get us out if worse comes to worst."

"You guys have the potion?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, and you have no idea how hard it is to store these things in a dress, let me tell you. I had to . . ."

"Okay, Louie, I don't want to know where it is, just as long as you all have it," he replied.

Lila gave a long sigh. "You sure we can do this?" she asked.

"No turning back now," Chris only nodded. For deep down, he was unsure of the answer.

* * *

For the first time in a week, Melinda could feel only happiness. That moment, as she gazed out at the sea of party goers and listened to the coos of amusement and conversation, would be one she relished in. The last nine days have been ones of complete sadness and gloom, and Melinda had felt every breath of it. All she had wished for was their grief to go away; not for her sake but for theirs. She knew what she felt was only a fraction of the intensity as her loved ones.

She couldn't help but smile as she glanced over at the table that seated her large family. Her aunt Phoebe, Sam, Joey, Chris, Lucy, Gage, and Lila seemed to be in the throws of laughter as they sat, loud and as entertaining as ever. Her parents had already taken to the dance floor, swaying slowly but with ease in each other's arms. Even from the distance she could see how much they cared for one another. Their love was something to be envied. It was amazing in fact, and more often than not she felt lucky to simply be a product of it.

As she continued smiling in her endearing observation of her family, she failed to notice the presence that lurked behind her. Only a cool voice snapped her out of the enjoyable haze. "Melinda?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin and turned an embarrassed shade of scarlet as she turned to find a rather familiar face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized nervously, blushing himself now.

"Jack?" Melinda questioned in surprise, still attempting to gather her composure. It was becoming difficult however as her heart continued a flutter in her chest. "Hi."

"Hey," he smiled back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Sam had an extra ticket to the event," Jack shrugged sheepishly.

"Oh, so you're her date?"

"No!" he sputtered anxiously. "Sorry, no I mean, I'm not her date. I mean, not that I don't like her . . . well, you see we're just going as friends. Actually we didn't really come together at all. She just said she didn't want to waste the ticket so she gave it to me."

Melinda nodded as he continued to ramble, unable to hide her small smile of amusement at his expense. After wrapping up his tangled explanation he inhaled a deep breath, regaining his composure and letting a light chuckle slip.

"What's so funny?" Melinda asked him.

"Nothing," Jack said with a smirk. He glanced around the exuberant restaurant. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Are you?"

"I am now," he smiled.

Melinda couldn't help but snort a laugh. "Have you been waiting to use that line?"

"Was it that obvious?" Jack grinned widely.

"Sounds like something out of a movie," Melinda replied.

"Well, maybe you've seen one too many," he suggested with a raise of his brow.

"Maybe," she muttered softly. She glanced back over her shoulder. "Sam is over there with the rest of the family if you want to . . ."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"What? No," Melinda said quickly.

"Good. Because I was kind of hoping for a dance…" he said with a slight blush. A flood of color seemed to rush to Melinda's cheeks too and she silently scolded herself for feeling like such a giddy school girl. Jack gave a nervous smile as he offered a hand. There was a long pause as her eyes lingered on his palm, as if weighing the possibilities of accepting his offer. But more so, however, she waited to see if he was genuine. His heavy hazel-green eyes were the only confirmation she would receive and for the time being, she decided they would be enough. With a scared smile she grabbed his hand.

* * *

"And here I was worried you'd left me to the wolves…"

Laura rolled her eyes with a smile as she approached James.

"I tried to warn you," she replied.

"I know."

"They weren't really that bad, were they?"

"Not nearly as bad as you probably think," James chuckled. "They're actually pretty funny."

"Ha," she scoffed. "Funny is not exactly how I would describe them. And you wouldn't either if you were around _that_ twenty-four seven."

"I think I could get used to it," he said.

"I'm getting worried; you're not a masochist or something, are you?"

"You're far too harsh on your family, you know that?" James teased.

He grabbed her hand into his as he pulled her toward the dance floor. Laura offered a laugh with a twist of her brow. "What are you doing?"

"Just taking a little bit of advice from your cousins," he said. "You know, let loose. Relax…chill…"

"Don't tell me Lucy and Joey got you high."

"Nope. Thought we could indulge in a little dancing though."

"I can't dance."

"Yes you can."

"No really."

"How am I supposed to know until I see for myself? Your whole family could have just been a lie for all I know if I hadn't shown up tonight," James told her confidently. "Now come on, show me those other "great qualities" Lila was telling me about."

"Trust me, dancing is not one of them," Laura groaned as he eased her into a dancing position. "Remind me to kill her later, will you?"

"Of course."

* * *

Chris adjusted his shoulders as he strode across the restaurant, desperate to soothe at least some of the tension in his joints and muscles. The party alone had him in high stress mode, but the demon troubles were about to make him crack. And with his cousins and family about to clock in at his tolerance level, he could only keep his distance to avoid going crazy.

As a server strode past with a tray of champagne, Chris casually swiped a glass. He wasn't a fan of the bubbling liquid but at this point he was willing to use anything to unwind. When the drink was about halfway finished he took a look around. He admired his work. The party was a success. People were happy, the band was loud, the food was good, the restaurant well-decorated, and the service exceptional. The Triquetra was at its peak. And Chris, being the businessman he had become, couldn't help but feel a hint of pride.

With a sigh he made a move for the bar, prepared to check in with his employees and send a bottle of champagne to the Mayor's table. He slowed his steps as he surveyed the backside of the persons seated at the bar. There were a few couples, a handful of old men, and in an isolated spot was a slender brunette who instantly grappled his attention.

He swallowed down hard, not exactly sure what impulsive streak had gotten into him. Chris had always been a lady's man. That was for certain. He knew what they wanted to hear, what they went for, and what made them swoon. During high school he was perhaps Golden Gate's biggest heart throb. Still, his pursuits were much more careful and considered than the one he closed in on. He hadn't even seen her face and yet the raven ringlets of hair and beige skin pulled him in.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked.

"Depends on who's asking," she replied.

Her voice was velvet along his ears and his mouth quirked with a smile as he came up behind her.

"What'll it be?" he continued.

"You're subtle."

"You just looked lonely," Chris said.

He watched with anticipation as she turned in her seat, only to find his heart clenching in both surprise and fervor. "I'm not now," she said.

"Detective Lawrence," he muttered.

"If you're going to buy me a drink, you might as well call me Bianca," she told him.

"What are you doing here?"

Her russet eyes seemed to ripple from their secure gaze. She bit her lower lip as if searching for an answer and stuttered slightly before providing one.

"The Police Chief had a few extra tickets to the event. He was going to give one to Detective Reid but he came down with food poisoning," she said.

"Right," Chris growled. "You're here to watch my family?"

"Think what you want. Your paranoia only confirms my suspicions of course," Bianca teased.

"You've got some nerve," he said.

"So, I'm guessing you're not going to buy me a drink?"

Chris grinded his back teeth together in frustration. "I'd like you to leave."

"Sorry Chris, but that's not going to happen," Bianca sighed. "And you can't be mad at me for having a life. Maybe I just wanted to have a little New Year's Eve fun."

"And it's just a coincidence that you came here."

"Precisely," she said coolly. She raised her empty glass. "It's a vodka tonic if you were wondering what to order."

Chris refused to budge, keeping his arms folded tightly across his chest and his emerald eyes synched in a glower. It was a stubborn front he put on when he was most vulnerable. A stubborn front that hid the tight clench of his heart, the nerves that twisted his sides, and the passion that threatened to infiltrate his words. A heat shot up his legs and swam in his stomach, filling him with only a desire to melt under the detective's sultry auburn gaze.

Bianca gave a bemused scoff. "You might as well take a seat Chris. I'm not going to bite despite what you may think," she told him.

"It's not your bite I'm worried about," he muttered as he complied. He glanced at the bartender. "Get her a vodka tonic."

"What about you?" Bianca asked.

"You may be off duty, but I'm not," he answered. "Besides, sharing a drink with you isn't exactly on my bucket list."

"Are you always so blunt?"

"Usually."

After the drink arrived the pair remained quiet. Chris sat stiffly in his chair, staring ahead with a scowl of callousness. Bianca remained just as diffident, casually sipping her drink with a locked jaw. The tension between them was unbearable. It was a strange tension. One composed of anger and a sexual nature that neither would admit to. Finally Bianca cleared her throat. Her voice came low, hardly audible above the music and noise of the party.

"I know we got off to a bad start, Chris," she started. He turned with slight curiosity. "But maybe we're not as different as you think…"

His face broke with a mocking smile. "I doubt that," he replied. "But you're funny. Really, funny."

"You're an ass," she growled.

"I have to get back to work," Chris said unfazed. "You can thank me for the drink later."

* * *

_Just another update I put together! Sorry for the lack of frequency with updates but inspiration and time both seem to come and go. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it! ~ Sammy _


	14. Semi Charmed Life : Segment 4

Only an hour remained until the New Year commenced.

As the prospect of midnight came closer, Phoebe Halliwell took a pause to relish in the feeling of weightlessness that always seemed to overwhelm her. There was something powerful about a New Year. There was something hopeful and magical in the idea of a fresh start. No matter how naive the notion, it never failed to liven her each New Year's Eve.

A lot had changed for Phoebe. Not physically perhaps but in the past twenty years or so she had lost some of the happy-go-lucky nature that she had once beamed with. Some would attribute it to maturity and age but those who knew her best, like her sisters, knew that so much of it rested with the sad realization that her happily ever after never lasted.

She loved Coop. Her ex-husband was everything she could have wished for. He was passionate and engaging and humble. He was supposed to be her perfect match. A piece to complete a whole, sent to her from none other than the heavens. Perhaps that was what was so disheartening. If she couldn't make it work with Coop what hope did she have? It was discontenting to accept that two people with so much love to give couldn't endure.

Their separation had been painful. Neither of them really wanted to do it but neither of them had a better answer. They made plenty of excuses. They had rushed into things, married too soon, neglected each other, gotten too involved with charges, work, demons, magic, and children. _Children. _Phoebe's greatest regret of the entire ordeal of course wasn't that she and Coop hadn't lasted, but how devastated their separation had left their daughters. It was for that reason alone that she would take it all back.

But now it was too late.

"Okay, someone better tell me who's dancing with Mel…"

Phoebe snapped out of her thoughts, giving a warm smile as her oldest nephew approached the table, clad in a double-breasted chef's jacket. He slipped into an empty seat at the table next to Lucy, sporting a familiar grin.

"I was just asking the same thing," Chris said, a heavy gaze still across the restaurant.

"You guys leave your sister alone," Piper sighed.

"We're just asking," Wyatt replied.

"Trust us; it's in her best interest. That guy could be a murderer for all we know," Chris said.

"Well, he's not," Sam told them. "We work together. He's a nice guy."

"That's what you say now," Chris replied. "I think Wyatt and I may have to have a talk with him."

"Oh my God! Mel is right, you two scare off anyone who comes near her!"

"Not anyone. We're just protecting her."

"More like alienating her," Lila spoke up from across the table. "How would you like it if we scared off the girls you three brought home?"

"We'd thank you," Joey quipped.

Chris, Gage, Wyatt, and Joey immediately erupted with deep laughter and exchanged enthusiastic fist pounds. Lila gave her beau a pinch to the arm and Sam rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Pigs," she said.

"Speaking of girlfriends, Wyatt, when are we ever going to meet yours?" Lucy asked.

A blush warmed the head chef's cheeks and he gave a laugh. "Well, after seeing how things went with Laura and James…"

"We weren't that bad," Lucy groaned.

"Right," Leo chuckled. "I think we all sufficiently scared him."

"Eh, I'd give them two more weeks anyway," Lila muttered.

"Whoa, that's cold," Chris said. "Especially for the family Cupid."

"What? I'm just saying. She's not honest with him. And I don't think he could handle the whole magic thing," Lila explained.

"You never know. They may surprise you," Gage said, leaning in and kissing the back of her ear.

"And you say I'm a hopeless romantic…" Lila giggled, turning to lock lips with him.

"Gross, get a room," Lucy broke in.

"We had one until you barged in this morning," Gage replied as he rose, offering Lila a hand. "I believe you owe me a dance."

"Why do I owe you a dance?" Lila asked as she joined him.

"Oh you know why," Gage answered.

Lucy's mouth remained open wide and her eyes filled with familiar outrage, while her sister and Gage departed with a chorus of laughter. "Am I the only one about to lose my dinner?" she asked. "Anyone?"

"We just try to ignore it, Lou," Sam said with a bemused smile. She got up from her chair and placed hands on Chris' shoulders. "Come on."

"Come on where?"

"To dance. With me. Right now," Sam replied. "There's no way I'm letting you skip out on the dance floor before the night is over."

Chris groaned as he was nearly yanked from his seat, mumbling words of protest but eventually complying. Wyatt looked to his younger cousin and offered a hand. "Lucy, would you do me the honor?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

"What? Hey, not cool," Joey said, but Wyatt and Lucy had already departed, leaving him with his aunts and uncle. "Did you just see that?"

"Yep," Leo chuckled.

"Two dates stolen in one night," he grumbled. "Betrayed by my own cousins of all people. But don't feel sorry for me, I have a plan C."

"Plan C?"

"I was a boy scout for six years; always be prepared. Of course I have a plan C," Joey explained. With that he gave his aunt a childish grin. "Aunt Piper, care to join me?"

"I'm your plan C?"

"Think of yourself as my secret plan A," Joey replied.

"Are you sure you want to take the dance floor with an old woman?"

"Not old; experienced, and of course," he smiled as she grudgingly complied to accompany him. Leo gave them a playful wink and chuckled as they joined the rest of the family. Phoebe gave a long sigh next to him and a grin of her own seemed to spread.

"Well, what do you say brother-in-law? Shall we join the fun?"

"Is that you asking me to dance?" Leo asked.

"I would say so."

"Well, I would love too, but I think I may have to honorably step aside to a potentially better suitor," Leo teased, his bright eyes flashing with enthusiasm.

Phoebe's face twitched with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

She suspiciously turned of follow Leo's gaze behind her as a familiar voice made her warm from the inside out. "I hope I'm not too late…"

"Coop," Phoebe nearly exclaimed. She did her best to remain under control. She couldn't appear too desperate; he was still her ex-husband after all. Her lips still curved with a gentle smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, a certain someone who is not to be named invited me, insisting that I come spend the New Year with you," Coop grinned.

"Piper…" Phoebe grumbled with a shake of her head.

"To be honest I'm glad she did. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he told her.

"And this is where I take my leave," Leo chuckled. "Enjoy yourselves kids."

Both Phoebe and Coop simultaneously blushed, gazes stuck on one another's. It was amazing how the time a part and the pain of separation had only seemed to make their desire grow. Sometimes it seemed as if they were young again, still struggling with feelings and embarrassment. But now, even as their love seemed renewed, their hearts danced with much more caution than before. They had become less reckless with age and quieter about their true feelings.

"You look beautiful," Coop told her softly.

Phoebe lowered her head with unusual bashfulness, trying her best to ignore the excitement that tightened her chest. "Thank you," she mumbled.

"Come on," he said. "For old time's sake, let me dance with you."

When she met his eyes, there was something familiar. It was passion, sentiment, and longing. He had a glint that only seemed to shine for her. And each time she saw it, it was impossible to resist. With little hesitancy she grabbed his hand, reminded that perhaps the New Year was hopeful after all.

In fact, maybe it wasn't too late.

* * *

By nine o'clock that evening, Kate had received seven voicemails and a variety of other messages from just about every member of the Halliwell family. It wasn't that she was surprised. She came from a family of paranoid witches who were always ready for the worst and she was no exception. But she couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't face them. Not with the thoughts that tormented her or the painful feelings that made her sick. No she couldn't face them; at least not sober.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into her when she had started except that she wanted to forget. After her experience with Valerie she was near breaking point and that was a point she refused to reach. Drinking was simply a distraction. Well, not simply, for by the time she reached the Triquetra her head was swimming and her words were beginning to slur. Even her orbing was a little off and if it wasn't for the lucky cover of some bushes she would have certainly been exposed.

Now as she shuffled through the Triquetra she stuck out like a sore thumb among the well-dressed and affluent. She wiped her hands on her jeans and twisted a piece of brown air behind her ear, not stopping her uneasy stride until she had swiped a glass of champagne from one of the many servers. Kate nearly chugged the bubbling drink, allowing it to sizzle down her throat and consume her.

"Kate?"

The voice of her uncle made her jump and in an instant Kate lowered the glass, setting her bleary hazel eyes on him.

"Honey, is everything all right?" Leo asked with concern. He placed a careful hand on his niece's back, trying his best to lead her toward a quieter part of the party. She nearly jumped out of her skin at his touch and barely managed a secure response.

"I'm . . . I'm fine," Kate replied.

Leo found greater difficulty in masking his worry. His intuition was screaming and his parental instinct was sending him alerts just as urgently. He had not only raised children of his own but he had watched his nieces and nephew grow up. He knew them much better than they realized.

"We were all worried," Leo began. "Wyatt and Sam were going to start looking for you."

"Well, I'm here," she nearly snapped.

Her uncle studied her closer and his jaw stiffened slightly as he grounded himself. "Kate, have you been drinking?" he asked.

She was too smart to deny the fact that she smelled like a pub but too stubborn to succumb to Leo's accusation. "Have I been drinking? Of course I've been drinking. Look around uncle Leo. Everyone is drinking! The real question is have you been drinking?"

Her voice echoed loudly in the small radius surrounding the pair and Leo's face dropped slightly. A few people around noticed the scene and he quickly tried to quell it.

"I don't think that's important right now," he said. "How about I take you home . . ."

"Don't be a hypocrite!"

It was well established that the Mitchell-Matthews twins were held together by a unique bond. They could sense one another across miles, countries, and even worlds. Across the noisy Triquetra provided Sam with no exception and in an instant her sharp auburn eyes darted across the restaurant.

"Is that Kate?"

Chris' gaze became a pit of guilt at his cousin's words. The two stopped their dancing and focused in on where Leo was trying to whisk away a belligerent Kate. Sam's face tightened with annoyance.

"What the hell does she think she's doing? And where the hell has she been?" she growled. Sam scowled as she stalked away from her dance partner and Chris anxiously clamored after her.

"Wait!" he said. He grabbed her by the wrist, attempting to hold her back. If Kate was in any condition similar to how he had found her a few nights before than nothing good was going to come from Sam storming over.

"Stop it," Sam told him. She yanked her hand away from his hold. "She's not going to get away with acting like this anymore."

"Let's just not make a scene…" Chris grumbled as he chased after her, anxiety radiating off of him now. If he had to break away one more group of squabbling sisters he was going to lose it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sam spat as soon as Kate was in earshot.

Her older sister gave a sloppy smile and rolled her eyes. "It's New Year's Eve. And it's a party for our m-m-mother," she reasoned. "You're the one who was telling me that I needed to come and getting mad at me for not showing up."

"Showing up drunk and dressed like you just crawled out of bed wasn't a part of the deal!"

"Screw you!" Kate slurred. "And I'm not drunk!"

"Uncle Leo, can you just take her home?"

"I'm not leaving!"

"Yes you are!"

"Don't touch me!"

Chris quickly stepped forward, putting an end to the swatting of hands between the twins and gritting his teeth in frustration. "Both of you knock it off," he ordered.

"Chris, she's out of control," Sam hissed.

"Let's just do this somewhere else, okay?" Chris sighed.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Carry me out of here like you did last time?" Kate blurted out drunkly. Chris' face dropped slightly as Leo and Sam were overcome with confusion.

"What the hell is she talking about?" Sam asked.

"Nothing," Chris replied tersely. He grabbed Kate by the elbow, attempting to direct her away.

"Oh don't! You're full of shit Chris," Kate hissed. She narrowed a glare at her twin sister. "And so are you. You sneaking, lying . . ."

"What is going on?" Joey interjected, approaching with concern. Piper was at his side bringing a familiar maternal authority with her.

"Listen, this is not the place to do this," Chris insisted.

"What do you mean I'm the sneaking, lying one?" Sam barked.

"Oh don't act so innocent! I was down in the Underworld when we were reading mom's will and . . ."

"I knew it!"

"There was a demon there who thought that I was you," Kate growled. "Y-Y-You want to do some-some explaining…"

"Okay, enough! Leo take Kate home; now," Piper interjected.

"I'll go with you," Joey decided.

"Oh no we are not done here!"

"Oh yes you are," Piper told her niece. "You have a demon to worry about and …"

"Excuse me, can we have everyone's attention?"

The group went quiet at the voice echoing from the microphone. The band had stopped playing and those on the dance floor stopped, setting gazes on the person who had taken to the podium on the stage. People slowly began making their way toward their seats or took to watching the speaker with obedience.

"Thank you. For those of you who don't know, I'm Steven Clark, President of the San Francisco Foundation. Every New Year's Eve the SFF organizes a charity banquet to honor our hardworking city council members, social workers, police officers, firefighters, and other city workers. On behalf of everyone here tonight, we thank you."

A light applause filled the room at his words and the tension between the Halliwells continued as Sam and Kate exchanged glares and Chris blushed with anxiety. Speeches were beginning and that meant that the Mayor would be making his appearance soon which meant that he needed to find the sisters and fast…

"Before we get into more logistics and awards, I would first like to recognize those responsible for making tonight's party happen. This includes our events coordinator Molly Wexler and all of our staff. Most of all, we want to be sure to thank the owner of the Triquetra, Piper Halliwell and her sons Chris and Wyatt. The Halliwells have two respected establishments in the Bay Area and are a prime example of a successful family business."

There was another thunder of clapping and by then Wyatt had joined his mother, brother, and father, who gave modest waves to their admirers.

"Great, now everyone knows who we are," Chris grumbled as he waved.

"That's not a bad thing," Leo whispered through a pair of smiling teeth.

"It is when we have to stop a demon," he growled.

"Just relax," Wyatt sighed.

"We need to find the mayor," Chris insisted. "Mom, freeze the . . ."

"No, Chris, nothing is even wrong yet," Piper replied.

"I don't care."

"The Halliwells actually lead me into our next order of business," Steven continued charismatically. "Every year we recognize a deceased citizen who has served the city of San Francisco. This year we honor Paige Matthews, a woman not only related to the Halliwells, but who also dedicated over a decade as a social worker and a member of the city ordinance committee."

Despite the anxiety and anger, a somber and quiet solitude soon took over the Halliwells. Piper swallowed down hard and Leo placed a gentle hand on her back. Across the way on the dance floor Coop wrapped an arm around Phoebe and she rested her head on his chest. Lucy took a spot next to Joey and squeezed his hand.

"I know that Paige's three children are here tonight and I was hoping that they would join me on stage…" Steven said.

At this the crowd clapped and shifted as if looking to spot the trio. Sam's face fell slightly and Joey's eyes widened in confusion, looking to his family for an answer.

"Come on, Sam, Joey, Kate, I know you're all out there somewhere," he continued at the microphone.

The applause became louder and the Halliwells became uneasy. "What do we do?" Joey asked.

"That's our cue," Kate slurred. She staggered forward unbalanced and Joey nearly pounced to her side to help her maintain balance.

"Just go," Piper nodded to Sam.

The enthusiasm of the party slowed as the three made a stand on stage. Steven shook their hands, giving an artificial smile. It was obvious he was just using them as a prop but Joey had no problem complying. Sam on the other hand remained guarded with a locked jaw, anxiously glancing at her swaying sister who seemed to be in absolutely no condition to be at the party, let alone on stage.

"As you can guess, family was a large part of Paige's life. As a social worker she made each one of the people she work with feel like family. She gave them her full commitment, compassion, and care, and for that will always be remembered by not only those who were close to her but all those she helped."

Kate tried her best to ignore the words. Her focus was skewed and her balance nearly nonexistent but she wasn't too drunk to remember her mother. She wasn't drunk enough to forget the agony of loss. Her heart raced painfully beneath her chest, reminding her of the feelings she was trying so desperately to suppress.

"Her constant effort to better our city is exactly what made her so valuable to San Francisco. Not only was Paige devoted to her calling but her husband, Henry Mitchell, worked as a parole officer for the San Francisco Police Department. His death was unfortunate for the entire SFPD and his family but rather than slip into mourning, Paige stepped up to serve just as valiantly as her husband. It is for that chivalry and selflessness that we honor Paige tonight. Her recent untimely death was a tragedy and our thoughts are with her family and loved ones. While she cannot be here tonight we know that . . ."

"Untimely death," Kate repeated. The words tumbled out of her mouth erratically and Steven paused at the interruption. "Untimely death?"

"Kate…" Joey whispered to her. "Stop."

"You know how she died?" Kate choked out. "You want-want to know?"

"Shit," Lucy muttered. Piper and Leo exchanged glances of panic.

"Get her down from there," Chris said.

A hum of whispers echoed throughout the restaurant as people exchanged confused looks. It was one thing that Kate took the stage in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt but a complete other that she began shouting nonsensically.

"Kate, don't do this here," Sam growled.

"She's dead because I couldn't save her!" she shouted.

There was an uproar now. Voices raised as more questions were asked. In the back of the restaurant, still seated at the bar, Bianca's eyes flashed with intrigue. "So much for a dead end case…" she mumbled.

"I tried! But she just died. And I couldn't do anything! I couldn't heal her! I couldn't heal her!"

By now Joey was nearly dragging Kate down from the stage. She stumbled and flailed ungracefully, her belligerency at its maximum. Wyatt helped Joey, taking her other arm and draping it over his shoulder. "Don't touch me! I'm fine!" Kate insisted.

Sam followed behind the group, trying to ignore the stares and flurry of gossip. Laura and James cut through the crowd and as soon as her cousin was in reach, Laura placed a hand on her shoulder. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, she's just drunk," Sam snapped.

A path seemed to clear for the Halliwells, headed by Joey and Wyatt with Kate. They made their way for the kitchen in the back of the restaurant. "I can take her home," Wyatt said.

"You have a restaurant to manage. I can take her. The car's out back," Joey replied.

"I can't believe she would do this," Sam hissed.

"I know you're probably mad at her but . . ." Laura's words came to an abrupt halt and she quickly stopped walking. James came to a standstill beside her, oblivious to the intensity that filled her eyes or the way her back tensed. Her skin was crawling with a familiar sensation.

"Are you okay?" James asked.

Laura ignored him and instead locked gazes with Sam who seemed to realize her troubles. "Sam…" she muttered. "I think . . ."

"Right now?" Sam asked.

James looked between the two girls in confusion. "Just a feeling," Laura replied uneasily. Her sensing ability was raging with full force and Sam was also beginning to get the air of déjà vu as they locked eyes.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"Nothing, everything's fine," Laura stammered. "I just need to find Chris. I'll be right back."

"Yeah go. Hurry," Sam advised.

"Wait, can someone tell me . . ."

James' request went unmet as both Halliwells efficiently took off in opposite directions. Before Wyatt and Joey could disappear with Kate through the double doors of the kitchen, Sam quickly stopped them.

"Wyatt!" she called.

"What?"

"It's happening. We might need you," Sam said.

"Go, I can take care of Kate," Joey advised. Melinda had joined him and nodded in agreement.

"We've got it," she told her brother.

"I think I'm going to throw up," Kate gurgled.

"Oh God," Joey grumbled.

"Don't take her to the kitchen if she's going to puke!" Wyatt called after them but it was too late. He gave a sigh. "Great, the health inspector is going to love that…"

"Wyatt, focus!" Sam shouted.

"Right, sorry, let's go."

Panic swirled in Laura's gut as she skidded to a halt at the lingering group of Halliwells. Piper, Leo, Chris, Lucy, Phoebe, and Coop awaited her arrival with deep set paranoia. "Chris, it's time…dad? What are you doing here?"

"Uh…your aunt Piper invited me."

"She what?"

"Wait, Laura, what are you talking about?" Chris cut in. He rolled his eyes at the family's near hereditary A.D.D.

"The demon is here. I can sense him and I think that . . ."

Her words were drown out by a crescendo of clapping and in an instant their heads snapped in the direction of the stage.

And all too suddenly the mayor took the podium.

* * *

_Just a short installment that I wanted to put up ASAP. Hopefully this episode will be wrapped up soon. Let me know what you think! I appreciate all your reviews :) _


	15. End of Episode Three

Adrenaline coursed through Lucy's veins as she weaved through the crowded restaurant. With great agility and momentum she squeezed between couples and brushed past the shoulders of others, using her hands and arms to file through them like an obstacle course. Her auburn hair twisted around her face, but her eyes danced around the room, desperately seeking out the demon who was to wreck havoc.

With as much efficiency Chris darted toward the stage, sweat beginning to bead at the collar of his shirt. His hazel gaze swiped the scene for Phazon as well as the missing third of the Charmed Ones; Lila. The mayor's voice boomed from the microphone and without any care for etiquette, Chris proceeded to shove people out of his way.

"Watch it," was hissed bitterly from the crowd as he went, but did little to distract him from his objective. Moments remained, minutes, even seconds were standing between him and protecting an innocent.

Hovering anxiously behind the action was Laura.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she waited. Her palms were damp with sweat and her heart accelerated uneasily beneath her chest. She could feel the importance of the moment. She knew the time was fast approaching for her to take a role in the soon to develop battle.

All she had to do was freeze the fireball. Freeze the fireball, save the mayor, save the day.

But such a plan sounded much easier than it actually was.

A simple flick of her hands could kill half the people in the room. And with that prospect, protecting one man became a much more loaded task.

_Phazon, Phazon, Phazon._

At each person she touched and passed Lucy made a mental note that they were indeed not the one she was looking for. She weaved and backtracked, scanning the area with such franticness that she worried if she ever spotted the demon she would be too late.

"Fuck," she muttered breathlessly.

She stopped moving and placed hands on her hips. Rather than looking for what she couldn't see, she focused on what she could.

She could see the crowd parting for Chris who moved with rude urgency. She could see Laura behind them, eyes cast on the stage and mayor. She could see Sam and Wyatt waiting idly nearby. She saw Gage skid over to join them and furrowed her brow, wondering where in the hell Lila was. She turned her head to find her and . . .

"Bastard," she grinned.

Phazon stood out like a sore thumb among the crowd and though no one had noticed him because of their attention on the mayor, Lucy couldn't find his entrance more obvious. His dark skin patterned by tattoo ink and accented by maroon eyes all seemed to face toward one target. And Lucy would be damned if he succeeded.

Despite her size and the people blocking her path, Lucy charged at Phazon like an NFL lineman. Whatever she lacked in strength and power, she had long made up in speed and determination, and now with the blazoned look of resolve on her face it seemed any adversary stood little chance.

Phazon had yet to see the young Halliwell who ran toward him and expertly rolled a single fireball behind his back, sure to fend off attention from the roomful of mortals. He pulled in a calming breath and took a moment to meditate on his target. The mayor stood comfortably on stage, grinning after every few sentences, nodding out toward the crowd, or giving a wink. It made Phazon's want to kill the man even fiercer. His mouth heated as he salivated. His jaw locked with tension and purpose. The muscle of his right bicep enlarged and in a careful move he cocked the fireball behind his ear and prepared to throw.

The sphere was warm in his hand and with measured force and deliberate aim, Phazon released the flames from his grasp. A sigh of satisfaction nearly left his mouth and he prepared to smile as he watched his work, but a dense object soon forced him from his feet.

She was too late.

Lucy knew that much as she tackled the hefty demon to the floor. The two rolled across the ground, both grunting and growling with the sudden impact.

"Laura now!"

Sam's voice burned through Laura's ears and she just as quickly caught sight of the fireball that moved at great speed for the oblivious mayor. Filled with deep panic and fear, she was nearly rendered motionless. Still, acting with only intense sentiment she squeezed her eyes shut and flicked her hands.

What she heard next was not promising.

Instead of silence brought about by a freeze, the room erupted with an explosion and scattered screams.

_Great. I killed everyone._

A familiar taste of bile swarmed in her mouth and the notion of a panic attack clenched around her as Laura opened her eyes.

While every single light bulb in the room imploded thanks to Laura's unintentional combustion, Chris had not stopped the objective. Hardly fazed at all, and still on route toward the mayor, he nearly jumped up the steps to the stage and launched himself at the endangered innocent. Joining him was Lila who sprinted from the other side of the stage and dove to pull the mayor from the line of fire as well.

The fireball was only inches from his face as the three tumbled down the back of the platform. Sparks still rained on them from the light bulbs above and confusion sounded below.

And suddenly everything froze.

The fireball was motionless at where the mayor had formerly been standing.

Guests stood static in their spots, gazes still on the stage.

Laura gave a long exhale in relief.

"Thanks aunt Piper," she said.

"Anytime kiddo," Piper replied as she casually stopped next to her.

"Are you guys okay?" Sam shouted across the room toward the stage.

Chris groaned as he rolled onto his back, staring up at a blurry display of lights. The mayor had been rendered motionless but unharmed after Piper's freeze, leaving him and Lila to deal with the aftermath of their heroic display.

"We're fine!" Lila coughed as she sat up. She gave Chris a pointed look as she tried to smooth down her hair. "I had him you know."

"Uh, how was I supposed to know that? You were missing until the last minute," he grumbled. "I told you not to go anywhere . . ."

"Well, he's okay now, so it doesn't matter," Lila decided.

Chris rolled his eyes. He removed a pair of fingers from where he had been assessing a sore spot on his head. A light residue of blood stained his skin. "Shit," he muttered.

"Oh my God, Chris, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Wyatt! Chris is hurt!" Lila bellowed.

"Chris!"

He rolled his eyes at the concerned voice of his mother across the room. "Mom, I'm fine! I just bumped my head!"

"Well, it could be serious Chris. Don't move!" Piper advised. "I'm coming over!"

Chris gave Lila glare. "Thank you. Now look what you did," he grumbled.

She granted him a cheeky smile as she got up. Chris was too tough for his own good and whether he liked it or not, Lila was always sure to keep an extra eye on him when they were together.

Laura caught her breath with the pause in the action and tried to hide the embarrassed shade of pink she had turned at her failure to freeze the restaurant. Wyatt seemed to sense her shame and placed a hand on her shoulder. "That was a good try," he said. "You'll get the next one. Besides no one got hurt which is the most important thing. We can always replace the light bulbs."

She avoided his gaze and was about to give a feeble response before Sam' voice broke in. "Wait; where'd Phazon go?"

As if on cue, a loud scream was heard. Their heads all snapped simultaneously in the direction of the cry, just in time to see Lucy fly across the room. She soared over a pair of tables before landing in a heap on another.

Phazon stood menacingly from where he had thrown her.

* * *

"You think everything is okay out there?" Melinda asked.

"I don't know, I haven't heard anything for awhile," Joey replied.

The two were cramped in a bathroom stall, hovering on the cold concrete floor of the employee restroom. Melinda was on her knees, while Joey remained squatted on the other side of the toilet. Between them Kate stared pathetically into the porcelain bowl.

"I think Laura froze the place. That's why it's so quiet," Melinda decided.

Suddenly a gagging sound echoed and bile exited Kate and entered the toilet. Melinda kept a gentle hand on her cousin's back, rubbing careful circles of comfort while Joey held back his sister's hair.

"You guys still okay in there?" Phoebe asked.

She leaned anxiously against the stall door with Coop by her side. Leo sat on the nearby counter a frown pulling at his face.

"Yeah," Kate answered hoarsely.

Joey handed her tissue and she weakly wiped her mouth.

"Uncle Leo, are you still here?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered warmly.

"I'm sorry," Kate murmured. "I'm sorry to all of you. I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's all right honey," Phoebe assured.

"It's going to get easier," Leo added. "That's a promise."

"It doesn't feel any easier," Kate whispered. "I keep . . . I keep remembering all the things that happened. Today when I was with a charge, it was like everything was happening all over again."

Melinda gave Kate's shoulder a gentle squeeze at the confession and Joey grabbed onto his sister's hand. Outside of the stall Leo exchanged a concerned glance with Phoebe who seemed more than disturbed. Not only did worry stem from their niece's distress but a bachelor's in psychology had taught Phoebe a thing or two about grief and trauma.

"What do you mean it was happening again sweetie?" she asked.

"I mean that . . ." Kate's words stopped.

Her eyes went vacant in an emotionless stare. It held a flicker of torment and sorrow but nothing more. It was as if she had shut herself off from the world with a simple gaze.

"Katie?" Joey said.

His voice did little to distract her and Melinda tried more directly. She gripped Kate's shoulder as she spoke. "Are you okay?"

Almost instantly she broke from the trance, breath coming rapidly as she blinked her eyes. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I'm fine."

Phoebe seemed ready to burst through the stall door but instead kept her face pressed to the cool metal and her hand flat against its surface. She bit on her lower lip. "Kate…" she started. "How often do you replay Paige's death?"

The words were painful to even speak and the best-selling author waited with a set of pain strained eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it," Kate replied.

Melinda gave a small frown and Joey lowered his head.

"But, sweetie, maybe if you talk about it then . . ."

"I don't want to talk about it!" she nearly yelled. "Is that too much to ask?"

"I think that if you just talked to someone about what happened, then maybe you could find some closure and you would stop having these pervasive memories because you're suppressing - - -"

"Save me the psycho analysis aunt Phoebe. I don't need you turning shrink on me," Kate snapped. "I'm fine."

"Kate this isn't healthy grieving."

"I'm fine," she repeated more firmly.

There was silence left to occupy the space. Coop awkwardly stared down at the floor and Leo bit on his lower lip. Melinda swallowed down hard, keeping her hand trained on Kate's shoulder. Joey simply sat, gaze locked on his sister, wondering how much longer it would be until she came back. Because more than anyone, he knew she was gone. He only feared that she wouldn't return.

"Katie…" Phoebe started meekly. "I know you're hurting. I know that the last thing you want is help from any of us, but I'm not going anywhere, you understand? None of us are. And I know that if you just . . ."

Phoebe's words broke off at a crashing echo from inside the restaurant. And without meaning to, she tensed, knowing far too well that her daughters were in the pinnacle of the battle. They were the Charmed Ones and a new fear seemed to set in.

Behind her Coop took a step closer. With silence and ease he laced his fingers into hers and she carefully turned to see him. Their gazes hovered on each other's and void of a word, they assured one another.

* * *

"Lucy…Lucy! Can you hear me?"

Wyatt's face came in a distorted blur as the youngest Charmed One blinked open her copper eyes. Her head pounded in pain and a shooting throb assaulted her shoulder, but other than the usual symptoms of getting her ass kicked by a demon, Lucy was satisfied to find she had come away unscathed.

"You all right?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm fine," she answered.

She realized Piper was at her side as she sat up and only a dozen yards away, Lila faced the demon responsible for her collision with the tabletop. She ran toward Phazon with a pose and grace she was known for, even in the heat of battle. He conjured a large fireball and with a careful bend at her waist she avoided it, never breaking stride as it soared over her head. Chris followed behind her, ready to pounce with reinforcements and Laura cautiously approached from the other side.

"Lila, wait," he advised.

She was powerful. Chris knew that much about Lila. In fact, of most in the family, Chris found Lila to be the most similar to him in fighting technique and work ethic. He respected her as a witch much more than he did other members of the family. But that wasn't to say she was invincible. More importantly it wasn't to say that she should be taking any mission solo. She was Charmed and that meant she was part of the Power of Three. That meant that they needed to work together in order to be victorious. Chris would be damned if his cousins didn't learn that soon.

Lila ignored her whitelighter's request and powered forward. She prepared to force the demon back with a telekinetic hit but her opponent maneuvered quicker than she expected. With incalculable speed, Phazon had whipped out another fire ball and without a pause for aim, launched it at Lila. The flames sliced through the air in a direct line for her face. There was no time to react but before meeting the offensive attack, flicked a hand and threw him from his feet.

Both Lila and Phazon were stunned by their respective blows. A slight gasp was all that came from Lila's mouth as the fireball crashed into her. The flames were uncomfortably warm and she could instantly feel her skin tear and burn. Her knees buckled and the sensation in her body went from unbearably painful to horrifically numb in only a few moments. The restaurant ceiling blurred as she trembled and twitched unconsciously on her back, her body battling the shock and fatigue of her injury.

The room went quiet. It was a terrified silence of disbelief and uncertainty. Stares fell onto the lifeless Lila and a haunting pause gripped them.

"Lila…" the word fell breathlessly from Laura's mouth.

Something inside her broke. Her heart tensed with a trepidation she could hardly remember. It was of fear and pain and anger and a protective streak she once recognized but couldn't any longer. It was as if the fact that her baby sister was gasping for air finally hit her. Lila was in trouble and Laura wanted nothing more than to run to her side. She wanted to hold her hand and help her and protect her from any further harm. All the arguments and frustration were gone.

Gage immediately sprinted for Lila, terror streaking his face. Chris quickly swooped in to tend to his cousin and Laura was tempted to take a step to join them if it hadn't been for the alarmed voice breaking her concentration.

"Laura! Look out!"

The hitch in Wyatt's scream was enough to warn Laura that it was a fireball. She turned in time to see the orange sphere inches from her face and with not a second to spare flung up her hands, rendering it motionless.

_I froze it. Oh my God, I froze it._

Her competency had her baffled and while she succumbed to momentary awe, Wyatt quickly stepped in, throwing Phazon crashing back into the wall with a simple wave of his hand. He stopped next to Laura, hands on his hips.

"Your turn," he said.

"What?" she choked.

"Finish him off," Wyatt replied.

Phazon was struggling to sit up and Laura bit on her lower lip. "You can do it," she told her cousin. All Wyatt really had to do anymore was think about killing a demon and they would be dead. In fact, it was sure bet that Phazon had already met his end with Wyatt staring him down.

But Wyatt remained adamant. "This is all you Laura. This is your demon. You do it."

She took in a calming breath. Her hazel eyes darkened with concentration as she gathered the emotions that swarmed inside her. In one moment she came to grips with the passion and power and anger and fear and with one exhale and a flick of her hands it left her.

Laura couldn't help but feel a tinge of satisfaction at the terror filled scream that escaped Phazon. She lingered in her place with Wyatt, watching as the demon shriveled and disappeared. Phazon was dead. And Laura had finally done it. "Not bad," Wyatt chuckled, patting her on the back.

She gave a sigh in relief, but her moment of calm was short lived as her gaze travelled to Lila.

"Is she going to be okay?" Gage asked urgently.

He must have asked Chris a dozen times in the last two minutes. Lila slipped in and out of consciousness on the floor below them. She wanted to speak but every word escaped as a painful moan. Gage squeezed onto her hand, his green eyes an embodiment of panic and fear. "Please Lila…Chris, why isn't it working? Can Wyatt help? Do you think we should . . ."

"Just be patient," Chris muttered with little compassion. His focus remained on his healing and nothing irritated him more than the franticness of family members during the process.

Lila shot up with a sudden gasp, her hand automatically flying to her chest as she caught her breath. She coughed and wheezed as Gage quickly embraced her against him. "Thank God," he sighed.

"You all right?" Sam asked her cousin.

"I'm fine," Lila nodded weakly.

"Well, that wasn't the cleanest vanquish I've seen," Piper said with a chuckle. "But it did the job."

"Yeah, well, we had a plan. No one followed it though," Chris grumbled bitterly. He slowly got up from the floor, straightening his jacket.

"Plans are for squares," Lucy chimed in. "It was much more exciting this way."

"Next time we follow the plan," Chris insisted.

"Okay, you seriously call what we discussed in the kitchen freezer a plan?" Lila jabbed.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Laura smirked at her sister.

"Sounds like things are back to normal out here," Phoebe said as she re-entered the frozen restaurant. Coop and Leo trailed behind her, hardly fazed by the scene that they had nearly grown accustom to as husbands of Charmed Ones.

"Well, almost. We still have a roomful of confused and frozen mortals…" Wyatt said glancing around.

"Is Kate all right?" Sam asked.

Leo gave an uncertain nod. "She's with Joe and Melinda."

"How are we going to explain this?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know, but we need to figure out something soon before . . ."

As if on cue the restaurant erupted with a small but abrupt explosion. The Halliwells all automatically jumped at the noise. Rather than the light bulbs imploding, the sprinklers and fire alarms had simultaneously combusted, abrasively assaulting the room with noise and showers.

The guests all regained mobility, just in time to feel the first drops of water from the sprinklers and shriek at the screams of the alarms. The Halliwells stood in silent defeat, unaffected by the water or the crowd that rushed desperately for the exits. Chris' head dropped in silent frustration and Laura's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Sorry," she muttered.

* * *

It was amazing to think that on a night of demons and fireballs, it had only taken a little water to clear out the Triquetra before the stroke of midnight. Unnecessary fire trucks lingered on the streets and damp guests waited for rides on the curbside. The band sealed up their wet instruments and soggy food was removed from the tables by disgruntled busboys. The only people left among the puddles and soaked counters were a few fire fighters, employees, and the Halliwells.

"You're going to need to get clearance by an electrician and the Fire Marshall before this place is up and running again…"

"We'll be sure to do that," Piper assured the firefighter who seemed beyond frustrated with the entire situation.

"I'll be honest, I've never seen anything like this," he said. "All the wires in this place getting crossed, busting the light bulbs and everything. You should really get someone out here to take a look."

"We plan on it," Piper nodded. "Thank you so much for your time and we're sorry for all the confusion."

As soon as he was out of sight Piper gave a long and flustered sigh. Leo was almost immediately at her side, ready with a sympathetic ear and whatever else she may need. Piper pressed her forehead to his shoulder in dissatisfaction before managing a light breath. "At least no one got hurt, right?" she decided.

Leo gave a smile and nodded. "Right," he said. "Granted, I'm not going to lie. This might put a damper on the business side of things."

"Please do me a favor and let's just not talk about that right now," Piper groaned.

"That I think I can manage," Leo smirked. "Especially since I forgot to tell you happy New Year."

Piper grinned before pecking him on the lips. "Happy New Year."

Chris leaned against the cool brick wall, arms folded across his chest as he chewed on his lower lip. His collar was unbuttoned and his tie hung loosely around his neck. The chestnut waves of his hair were completely damp and it seemed that under the dim orange glow of the streetlight in the alley way, he looked even more thwarted than he dare let anyone know.

He had plenty of reasons to be disappointed. The evening was supposed to be the restaurant's big break. It was their chance to make an impression on the critics and the populace. And now it was all ruined. As usual the magic and demons had interfered. Sometimes he wondered why he even tried.

"Hey Halliwell…"

His stomach churned at the voice. Slowly striding from the mouth of the alley was Bianca. She was just as wet as he was from the sprinklers. Her wavy brunette locks hung like tangled ropes on her shoulders and her dress clung to her in a way that Chris forced himself to ignore. If it was at all possible, she looked even more seductive as such a wreck.

"Restaurant's closed," he told her.

"We didn't even make it to midnight," Bianca mused. She stopped inches from him. Her eyes were deep shadows. They enticed Chris as he studied them. It was as if they could see all. As if she knew him with just a single glance. "Kind of strange what went on in there. Wouldn't you say?"

"Just a problem with the electricity," Chris said carefully. "We're not sure what went wrong actually. Your guess is as good as mine."

Her lips twitched in a smile. "Oh, I have plenty of guesses," she chuckled. "But I wasn't talking about the exploding light bulbs and fire alarms. I was talking about your cousin…"

Chris' face tensed and his jaw locked. Not only was he alarmed but now his defenses were up on all fronts. "Leave Kate out of this."

"How can I? She's a major player in his investigation. Paige is her mother after all. I wasn't thinking of looking into her but after her speech tonight - - -"

"She was drunk!" Chris growled.

"It doesn't mean that what she said isn't true," she snapped. "You can't expect me to ignore the fact that she claimed ownership over her mother's death and that she said she couldn't 'heal her.'"

"She's mourning! And that could mean anything. I can't believe you'd be so desperate to twist her words - - -"

"Chris, I investigate crimes for a living and I'm damn good at it. You don't think I can tell when people are hiding something? You don't think I can tell when someone isn't telling the truth?" Bianca said.

"Leave Kate alone," Chris told her coldly. "And that's your only warning."

"All I want is the truth, Chris," she told him.

"Well, I'm not going to let you tear my family down trying to find it," he said. "Now leave."

Their faces hovered inches a part, marred with bitter snarls and narrowed eyes. "Come on, Chris. Tell me. What kind of 'accident' did Paige really have?" Bianca said lowly. "You scared because you have something to do with it?"

Chris remained silent, his jaw clenching with anger and rage. She raised her eyebrows. "Just as I thought," she sighed. "I'll see you around Chris."

He didn't know what had gotten into him, but as she turned to leave he snatched up her wrist. It was thin and warm in his large hand. She almost immediately growled but by the time her neck snapped and her glare suctioned onto his, their noses nearly touched. His breath squeezed out of his throat and he struggled to keep the blush from warming up his neck and overtaking his face. Bianca seemed just as uneasy but before either could gather themselves in the moment of closeness, their lips latched onto one another's.

It was difficult to say who kissed who. It would be difficult for even the best detective to discern who seemed to melt into the embrace, because the truth was, for the slightest pause, they both did. She surrendered into his hold, turning her head so that his lips could work around her warm mouth. Chris hardly took much time to explore her, his hands eagerly clasping her closer to him.

Until quickly they came to a realization.

In one fluid jerk they pulled away. Bianca quickly slapped a hand across his cheek and within an instant Chris' mouth fell in shock. "What the hell was that?" he hissed.

"That was nothing," she growled. "None of this happened, got it?"

In a state of dumbfounded quiet, he watched as she turned, stalking with defiance down the alleyway, leaving him to ponder his midnight kiss.

"Laura, it's all right, I promise," Wyatt sighed.

He tried to suppress the smirk that caught his mouth. Listening to Laura's desperate remorse was somewhat entertaining. Wyatt couldn't recall hearing his younger cousin ever seem so regretful.

"It is not," she insisted. "I ruined your big night. This was supposed to be a chance for you and aunt Piper and Chris to get more business for the restaurant and I screwed it up because I don't have enough control over my powers. I mean I knew I was bad, but I didn't think I was that bad. I was never like this before. I don't know what happened. What's wrong with me Wyatt? I mean, it doesn't seem like it's this hard for everyone else. Maybe I'm just less cut out for this. I mean, I can accept that. But I don't like that it's putting everyone else in jeopardy, you know?"

Wyatt chuckled and she frowned. "Laura, honey, darling, you're making me stressed out" he said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "For starters, what happened here isn't that big of a deal. The important part is that you killed Phazon and you saved the Mayor and potentially several other innocents."

"I didn't. You did."

"You killed Phazon."

"Because you spoon fed him to me," Laura scoffed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Laura, I wanted you to do it, because I wanted you to prove to yourself that you could. I know things are hard right now and you're still adjusting, but you're a good witch Laura. You're a Charmed One," he said.

"Well, I don't feel like one."

"I know," Wyatt sighed. He squeezed her a little tighter. "Listen, if it makes you feel better, maybe I could help you out. Give you a few pointers. Help you get more control?"

"Reminds me of the summer I had to spend with aunt Piper when I moved on from freezing to blowing things up," Laura groaned.

"It'll be like that, but better, because I'm not near as grouchy of a teacher," Wyatt joked.

"Yeah, well, what better mentor could I have than the Twice-Blessed Child?"

"That's the spirit! It's settled then. You, me, Magic School," he said.

"Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?" Laura sighed.

"Because you're pessimistic. But that will all change after I transform you into one of my minions," Wyatt teased.

"Oh, dear me, I can't wait," she said.

Her hazel gaze flickered as it landed on Lila and Lucy across the way. Wyatt recognized her intentions and gently released her. "Go on," he said. "I'm sure you three have some things to talk about."

"Yeah," Laura managed gently.

Joey paid little mind to the puddle of water he sat in and the soaking wet condition of his clothes and hair. He felt as though he had just jumped into the Bay and with the sprinkler's constant drip above him it seemed unlikely that he would dry off anytime soon. Next to him, resting feebly in his hold, Kate remained just as damp.

"I'm so sorry," she whimpered.

Tears ran down her cheeks and for the last half hour, she had pathetically surrendered to heavy guilt and sadness. Joey patiently kept his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head as she pitifully sniffled.

"I don't want to be like this," she continued. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you," Joey assured. "You've just been having a hard time."

"No there is. There is. I can't stop," Kate whimpered. "I can't stop."

"Can't stop what?"

It was hard to pinpoint it. The truth was she couldn't stop any of it. Couldn't stop the dreams or the flashbacks. Couldn't stop the drinking. Couldn't stop the pain in her heart or her desire for vengeance. She couldn't stop herself. And that's what scared her most.

"We should go home," she whispered.

"Katie…"

"Please," Kate asked. "You can't tell me you want to be here. Not with me crying, making you sit here soaking wet."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I'm here for you, Kate. I always will be," Joey assured.

"If only mom could see us now…"

"She can," he smirked.

He carefully helped her up to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. Together they crossed the short distance of the employee bathroom, shoes squeaking along the soaked linoleum.

"Hey, can we make a New Year's resolution to not do this again?" Joey suggested.

"Deal," Kate nodded.

Sam peered around the corner, watching as her brother and sister eased toward the exit. She anxiously bit her nail as she leaned against the wall, hair still wet and heart racing.

"You okay?"

She nearly jumped at the voice and turned in time to find Chris coming up behind her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Chris swallowed hard, as if struggling to speak again. "Listen, I hate to put you in a bad position, but if there's someone around who seems suspicious…."

"There's no one, Chris," Sam assured. "Who knows why the demon thought Kate was me. In fact, at the rate she's been slugging back drinks, there's a good possibility her story's not even reliable."

"I guess that's true," he nodded. "Just keep an extra eye out. If someone's working from the inside, we're going to have serious problems."

"I'll be careful," she said. He gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder before departing and Sam gave a guilty sigh. Her hand trembled as she glanced at her phone. She desperately put it back into her purse, ignoring the fifteen missed calls that awaited her. Fifteen calls that could only mean one thing; he wanted to see her again.

Melinda, Wyatt, and Gage were quiet as they did their best to salvage what was left of the furniture in the damp restaurant. The boys rolled up their sleeves and Melinda kicked off her heels as they dried the chairs and tables with towels. They could have easily left the work for someone else or closed up and avoided it all until morning, but with their adrenaline still pumping and the night still lively, they decided there was no point in letting the work wait. Besides, it was all a good distraction from the turmoil that they now faced. Things were growing more complicated and while no one spoke about it, they weren't going to last much longer in denial.

"Need an extra hand?"

Melinda glanced up at the familiar voice and almost immediately a blush ran up her cheeks.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked.

Jack shrugged. "I actually started to head home but I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you."

She could hear Wyatt and Gage scoff in the background but had grown accustom to ignoring her brothers and male counterparts. She grabbed Jack by the hand and led him away from her unruly audience.

"I'm sorry everything got so crazy," Melinda said.

"I doubt it was anything you did," Jack replied. "So you have nothing to be sorry for."

Melinda blushed slightly at the irony. If only he knew how much her entire family had to do with ruining their own party. The streets were calm when they exited the restaurant. It wasn't particularly cold, but a breeze accompanied the night.

"You know, I have a cousin who's an electrician. If you need someone to come out and take a look, I'm sure he'd be happy to…"

"You didn't really come back to recommend an electrician did you?"

Jack smirked. "No I guess not. I'm usually not so forward but I was kind of hoping for a New Year's kiss at midnight."

"Well, you're about forty minutes late. I guess there's always next year," Melinda chuckled.

"You know, my New Year's resolution is to go after what I want."

"My New Year's resolution is to stop dating jerks."

"Then it looks like we're both in luck, because I am a totally nice guy."

"So modest too," Melinda teased.

"I'd go for a traditional quarter to one in the morning kiss," Jack said.

"Traditional?"

"Oh yeah, it goes way back to the ancient . . ."

His words were cut off as Melinda pressed her lips to his. Jack quickly reciprocated, pulling her closer into his arms and burying his mouth in hers. Her hands traced down his firm jaw line as he explored her waist. They came up shortly for air and before indulging in the passion with another lip lock, they exchanged equally wide grins.

"You know, we might actually need the name of that electrician," Melinda said as she caught her breath.

"Yeah, sure, do we have to talk about that right now?"

"Right, sorry."

"Happy New Year," Jack chuckled before kissing her once more.

Lila and Lucy sat tiredly at the now empty bar of the Triquetra, hair soaked and shoulders slumped in fatigue. Laura timidly came up behind the pair. "Hey," she said.

"How's it going Flicka?" Lucy greeted.

"Flicka?"

"I keep trying to come up with a nickname for you. I thought Flicka because you're always flicking those explosive fingers."

"I said we should call you trigger happy," Lila put in, spinning on her stool to face her sister.

Laura smirked. "Yeah, I guess I deserve that," she said. "I'm glad you're all right."

"It was nothing," Lila replied.

"You still scared me," Laura admitted.

"I shouldn't have gone after him on my own," she said. "I should've waited for my sisters."

"I could've been there sooner if I wasn't scared of my own shadow," Laura told her. "I'm going to start working with Wyatt on getting better control. I'm not going to jeopardize you guys or the rest of the family anymore because I'm not competent with my powers."

"That's a big step for you," Lila said.

Laura did her best not to be provoked by her sister's jab. "I'm sorry for not being honest. And I'm sorry for acting like I'm ashamed of my powers or ashamed of my family. Because I'm not. I know I should have told you about James and I know I've been stubborn about devoting myself to the power of three, but I've been scared. I guess I realize now though, I'm more scared of losing one of you," Laura said. "I think I'm ready. In fact, I know I'm ready to be the best Charmed One I can be. It's not worth being anything less."

"You mean it this time?" Lila asked.

"Yeah. And just to prove it, I think we should move in together."

"Let's just take one step at a time with this," Lucy choked.

"No, I'm serious. I talked with aunt Piper and she said we could move into aunt Paige's house. The mortgage is paid off and it has four bedrooms," Laura said.

"Listen, this is great and all, but we just started talking to each other again. Do we really want to rush and live together?" Lucy asked. "I mean, do I have to remind you of how miserable childhood was?"

"There's no better time than the present. We all know why we should," Laura said. She looked to Lila. "What do you think?"

"I think you're right. For once," Lila said. "I'll be honest, I don't really want to live together either, but I think the future of good is a little more important."

"You guys suck," Lucy sighed. "I liked it better when you were arguing."

"Oh trust me, we'll be back to that soon," Lila replied. "Until then, I say we enjoy what's left of the night."

"I need a drink. I can tell already this is going to be a rough year…" Lucy sighed. "And I didn't even need a premonition for that one."

"Well said, Lou," Laura chuckled. "Well said."

**End Episode 3**

* * *

_So this was a bit of a long chapter but I wanted to get everything in! I didn't edit it all too much because I wanted to put it straight on fanfiction when I was done..that concludes episode three and I'm brainstorming a few ideas for episode four. As you can see there are a lot of storylines starting to build up and I would love to hear your feedback on what's working and what's not, who you like and who you don't, and if there's anything I can do (besides update more frequently ;) ) to make the series better! Thanks so much for reading and for your support! ~ sammy _


	16. Episode Four : Bloodline

Episode 4: Bloodline

The quiet hurt her more than anything.

Never before had Kate resented silence as much as she did now. Of course, before she never had anything to think about that caused her so much sorrow. No matter how hard she tried the stupor of remorse and memories always took hold of her. She could think of nothing else. She could see no face other than her mother's. She could feel the blood on her hands again, the adrenaline swelling her entire form, the erratic pace of her heart, and the uneasiness of uncertainty all assaulted her as if she were reliving the terror.

At night she dreamt of it. And in her dreams, much like she had in reality, she desperately tried to save her mother. Some nights she was successful. Some nights she wasn't. Even other nights she would die instead. Or her brother. Or her sister. Or her cousins. All she knew was that death haunted her dreams. And as she sat awake, trying to come up with a reason to proceed with the day, she was teased by only traumatic scenes.

Her hands were trembling when she finally forced herself out of bed. She was still wearing her clothes from the evening before. Or perhaps they were from two nights ago. She couldn't remember. She felt so distant from reality lately that she couldn't keep track of what had happened and what was all just another daydream.

The apartment was quiet so Kate assumed Sam was at work. She was glad for that. In the past week the two had hardly spoken to one another. Their interactions were awkward and tense. Both had things to say to the other but no one had the tenacity to say them. Kate wanted nothing more than to confront Sam about the demon in the Underworld and she got the unsettling feeling that Sam wanted to confront her about her behavior. But both kept to themselves because asking the other meant being open for attack. It was better to keep to themselves and keep their secrets.

It was strange they had so quickly gone to a place where they didn't trust each other. A place where they couldn't depend on each other. They had spent a lifetime coexisting. As twin sisters they were inseparable. They defended, comforted, and supported one another at all costs. And now all that was gone. And it only made Kate feel emptier. More alone.

Clumsily she pulled open draws and cabinets in the kitchen, desperate to find the one thing that had kept her sane lately. It may have been early but Kate needed it. She couldn't function without it. She had charges to attend to and with flashbacks paralyzing her every two minutes she required an escape. She hid the bottle from Sam, but the problem was she was usually drunk when she hid it, so it made for long morning scavenger hunts to find it.

The liquor was bitter and strong but she chugged it in desperation. It burned down her throat and upset her stomach but in a moment's time her head felt a little lighter. She was no longer held down by intense grief and guilt. Everything was a little easier with the alcohol. And just about now, Kate would do anything to make things easier; even if it conflicted with everything she once knew.

By noon she had showered and changed. She spent time studying the notes on her desk. The spells. She needed to find the Brotherhood of Thorn. She needed to find the killer. Then she would stop the craziness. Then she would stop the drinking. Then it would all stop and she could be okay. She filled a flask before departing and despite her wooziness and the bags beneath her eyes, she swirled out in a hasty glow of orbs.

* * *

"And then what happened?"

"I heard a scream and I followed the noise."

"To where?"

"To the front porch. And that's where I found Paige."

"So you're insinuating that this was some sort of drive by shooting?"

"No, I never said anything about that."

"Well, then what do you think could lead to such a horrific death of such an innocent woman?"

"If I knew, there wouldn't be the need for an investigation," Piper replied coldly.

The interrogation room was oddly theatrical. It was just like the ones on the television. A single metal table was in the center of the room, surrounded by two chairs. Piper Halliwell sat patiently in one while the detective stood on the other side. The walls were dark charcoal and the floor matched. Beside the door there was a mirror, which Piper assumed was a window for other officers to observer through on the outside.

"It's a pretty far fetched story," the detective said.

"It seems that way," Piper said. "But I don't have anything to tell you except what happened. I have no good reason to lie."

Bianca Lawrence raised a brow. The sleeves of her shirt had been rolled to her elbows and her jacket draped across the back of the chair she refused to sit in. It was a typical bad cop routine. She knew that much. She also knew better than to think that she would get anything out of Piper Halliwell. This woman was a wall and more than that, she had lived through enough police interrogations to know how to not slip up.

"No one else in the neighborhood can back up your story," Bianca told her.

"I don't know what to tell you," Piper shrugged. "I know some of them were at work. Not all of them are home at that hour."

"So you're the only witness to this case."

"Besides my son, my niece, and my nephew," she nodded. "And I didn't witness anything. I told you what I heard and by the time I arrive it was too late. Paige was hurt."

"You didn't put in a 911 call."

"Not right away. We were in shock. We were trying to help her," Piper said.

"And no one drove by and saw this?"

"It was all so rushed. She was dying. I wasn't paying attention to afternoon traffic."

"But surely between your son, your niece, and your nephew, one of you could have dialed for an ambulance."

"Detective Lawrence, I have many regrets about my sister's death. I lay awake at night, wondering what I could have done different. I agonize over how I could have done something else to save her. Mistakes were made and we certainly could have handled the situation better, but what happened happened. We were in the heat of the moment, dealing with a traumatic and unusual situation. If you think that we didn't want to get Paige the help she needed as quickly as possible, you're way off base."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Halliwell, I'm just trying to sort through everything that went on that day," Bianca replied curtly.

Piper was quiet, her dark eyes full of resentment as she stared up at the detective. Though vested with authority, Bianca seemed slightly intimidated by the Halliwell matriarch. It was as if somehow Piper exuded her own sort of power. It made Bianca regret getting on the woman's bad side.

"Did Paige have any enemies?"

"None that I know of," Piper lied. "She was a social worker. Sometimes she worked with troubled families. Troubled youth. I don't want to bash on any of the people that the program helps but there were certainly a few she was concerned about."

"We're looking into that," Bianca nodded shortly. "What about your family?"

"What about my family?" Piper asked.

"No one had problems with Paige?"

Piper nearly shouted in outrage but took a calming breath to maintain her cool demeanor. "No, no one was at odds. Paige was loved by everyone in our family. To be honest, I can't believe you would even think to ask a . . ."

"What about your children? Or your nieces and nephews? Do any of them have enemies that perhaps would take out vengeance on family members? Or perhaps they mistook Paige for one of them?" Bianca asked.

"No. No they're all good kids. They all have jobs and they all stay out of trouble…"

"What about you? Do you have any enemies, Piper?"

Her first response was anger. Then fear. It was funny how the combination worked. It used to be the other way around. She would fill with trepidation and then rage would take over with enough strength for her to stand her ground. Now in her old age she was quick to jump the gun. She responded with only strength. But then when it faded, she could rationalize. The truth hit her.

Bianca's question lingered menacingly before her. The answer was yes. All the answers were yes. The whole underworld wanted to wipe out her entire bloodline. Pure evil was running rampant. It had taken her sisters and tried on a daily basis to take her other loved ones. Their lives were in danger. They always would be.

"This is ridiculous," she growled.

"Excuse me?"

"I know my son Chris has a quick temper, but he's right."

"I'm trying to conduct an investigation."

"You're trying to back us into a corner, that's what you're trying to do," Piper said. "You're trying to make us look guilty."

"It's my job to explore all possible avenues of this case," Bianca replied. "Besides, you're the one who said you don't have anything to hide."

Piper was quiet. Bianca closed the folder on the table and grabbed her jacket. "We're done here," she said. "You're free to go."

Leo watched aanxiously as Piper stalked down the hall of the police precinct. He had been sitting patiently in the waiting area, back aching against a stiff metal chair. She saw him, or at least he thought she did, but made no sign of stopping. Instead she continued directly for the exit. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Let's go Leo," she said. "Now."

* * *

Ignoring the discomfort of straining muscles and sweaty palms, Joey Mitchell and Gage Jenkins struggled up one more step. Then with another grunt they staggered through the front door.

"Come on boys, you're looking tired," Lucy said.

"Why don't you get over here and try?" Joey growled.

The two carefully lowered the couch to the middle of the living room floor, sighing and panting for breath as they did so. The moving process had been long and difficult. First they had to move all of Paige's belongings into storage. Then moving each of Laura, Lila, and Lucy's things into the residence became the next obstacle. It was the second weekend dedicated to the moving project and it seemed to those doing the heavy lifting that the entire process was more trouble than it was worth.

"I just got my cast off. Don't be such a girl," Lucy replied.

Joey grabbed her into a headlock to which she squealed in angry protest.

"Can you guys stop messing around?" Lila snipped as she entered with a box in her hold. "Lucy, you haven't done anything all morning."

Lucy pushed Joey away and glared up to meet her sister. "I've done work."

"Yeah if talking counts as work," Gage scoffed.

"We're never going to get this done if we're stopping every two minutes to play grab ass," Lila said.

"Sorry Lieutenant," Joey chuckled.

"Yeah, Gage, tell your woman to relax. This isn't a military camp," Lucy added.

"Okay, Lila, how many boxes of shoes can one person possibly have?" Melinda groaned. She dropped a box to the group on the floor.

"And you think I'm contributing to a painful moving process," Lucy scowled.

"It's only three boxes."

"That's insane. I could pack my entire life into three boxes," Joey said.

"That's because you don't accessorize," Lila reasoned.

"Speaking of packing your things, Joey, I have a proposition for you," Melinda piped up.

"Don't tell me you want to move too," he sighed. "I think I'm already going to need to see the chiropractor for my back, so if you need someone to help you pack boxes . . ."

"No, just the opposite," she replied. "You see, now that Lila is moving out, I don't have a roommate. Rent is kind of steep for one person and to be honest, I don't like the idea of living alone…"

"You want me to ask around? See if any of the guys are looking for somewhere to live?" Joey offered kindly.

"No you bonehead, she's asking you if you want to move in with her," Lila chuckled.

Melinda nodded in confirmation and Joey quirked an eyebrow. "Well, thanks Mel, but I'm not really looking for anywhere to live."

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked.

"I mean, I've been living with aunt Piper and uncle Leo," he shrugged.

Gage rolled his eyes. "I can't witness this," he said.

"What is he talking about?"

"The fact that you're a twenty-one year old man living with your aunt and uncle," Lucy blurted out. Melinda and Lila both gave her subtle glares but she put her hands up in defense. "I'm saying it out of love."

"No, it's okay, I can take it," Joey nodded. "But I don't care. I like it at the manor and . . ."

"You're serious?" Lila choked.

"Yes?"

"Lucy go ahead," Lila prompted her sister.

"Thank you very much, I will," she replied. "Hey, guess what Joseph, this may be a tough pill to swallow but aunt Piper and uncle Leo don't want you there either. They already had three kids, okay? They don't need a big man boy hanging around eating all their food. I know you've lived with a caretaker basically all your life, but it's time to grow up and embrace manhood. And Melinda's a great transition. She's basically a miniature aunt Piper, so it'll be a subtle but affirmative change. Need I say more?"

"That was a little harsh, Lou," Melinda whispered to her.

"He'll thank me when he wants to bring a girl back from the club," Lucy said. "It's because I love you kid."

She whisked by, slapping Joey on the chest while making her exit. Lila quickly followed, blushing slightly from her sister's abrasive talk, gently giving Joey a pat on the shoulder. Melinda chewed on her lower lip as she met her cousin's eyes.

"So…"

"Yeah, I'll take it," he said.

"Great. I can get you more information about . . ."

"Do you think I need to grow up?" Joey cut her off.

Melinda guiltily shifted her gaze around the living room. She swallowed hard. "I'm going to go help them with the last of the boxes."

"What? Mel . . ." Joey stopped as she scurried off. He glanced around the room as if expecting to find someone who shared his disbelief. Instead his search was futile and he furrowed his brow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

* * *

"Okay, so do you know anyone who knew him while he was in Seattle?"

"No, Chris, I don't make a habit of checking up on these things."

"Why would he live in Seattle, huh? And why come to San Francisco?"

"I don't know, work? I think it's kind of obvious," she replied. "Don't put so much thought into it."

"I just think it's weird that he's moved around so much. First Texas and then he goes..."

"He went to Chicago for school. Northwestern has a reputation as a great university."

"So we think."

"No, it's a fact," Sam rolled her eyes. "You know, if you're so worried about Jack, then maybe you should talk to Melinda yourself."

Chris was quiet as the two continued to keep a quick pace. The morning was just starting to brighten up, making their view as they jogged around the Bay a little more enjoyable. Though their schedules rarely allowed for it, Sam and Chris tried to make a habit of running together. It was imperative to be in shape when fighting demons and evil on a daily basis. Everyone in the family had their own ways of keeping on track. Wyatt and Chris often took to lifting weights. Melinda, Lila, and Lucy usually did yoga or pilates. And almost everyone in the family was sure to take the time to sharpen and refine their combat skills a few times a month at either karate or boxing. Usually Sam and Kate ran together, but as of late it seemed that the elder of the twins was uninterested and unmotivated by the prospect.

"How's Kate been?" Chris asked.

"Oh what, you're done interrogating me about Jack?" Sam scoffed.

"I trust your judgment I guess," he replied. "For now."

They turned down another path, leading them past the Golden Gate Bridge. Their running shoes pounded the pavement in a constant rhythm and while sweat beaded at their foreheads and they panted heavily, they were able to continue their conversation.

"Everyone was pretty worried after the whole scene on New Year's Eve," Chris said. "She hasn't really shown her face much since then."

"Yeah, well I live with her and we hardly see each other."

"Has she said anything?"

"No."

"Well, have you asked her about it?"

"No."

"What? She's your sister, what do you mean you haven't asked her about it?"

"What am I supposed to say? Why'd you show up smashed at the party? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Yes!" Chris nearly exclaimed. "If something is up with Wyatt I know right away."

"Well, we're not you and Wyatt."

"No you're you and Kate, and you two are always in synch. It's like you're the same person."

"News flash; we're not," Sam said. "You know, we had to convince everyone of that in high school, are you really going to make me go through that phase again?"

"You know that's not what I mean."

"We're hitting a rough patch right now, okay? It's not a big deal," she told him. "We've fought before. Why are you so worried about it?"

"Because I think something is really wrong with Kate," Chris said.

His strides slowed down and as Sam realized she had run off ahead, she quickly pulled back and turned to face him. His words had struck a chord. One she had been ignoring for the past week and she swallowed hard, realizing she would have to come to terms with the truth. Chris caught his breath as she joined him, hands on his knees and his head bowed. Sam rested her hands on the top of her head and sighed.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Don't tell me you can't tell," he replied breathlessly.

"I guess she's been pretty – I don't know how to describe it – different, since mom died," Sam said. "She doesn't talk about it. I tried in the beginning. She just wouldn't let me in. It's like she shuts down whenever I bring it up. It seems too painful for her so she avoids it all together, so I stopped asking."

Chris' emerald eyes shone with despondency and he nodded. "Things were pretty bad that day. I just can't imagine . . . not being able to save your mother," he mumbled. Sam frowned and lowered her head and he swallowed hard. "Sorry, I didn't mean to . . ."

"No, it's okay. I mean, I wasn't there. Part of me resents that, but the other part of me doesn't know if I could have survived seeing her like that," Sam replied. "I can understand why it's hard for Kate. But she was my mother too."

"I know," Chris said. "And I'm sorry. It's just; I don't think any of this is normal. And I know I should have told you sooner but . . ."

He stopped. Guilt shrouded his face and he bit on his lower lip. "Chris, what is it?" Sam asked.

"That night at the Triquetra, wasn't the first that Kate got drunk," he said. "You remember when we read the will and she didn't show up?"

"She was drinking?" Sam asked.

"I got a call from Vince at the bar down the street. She had gone to the Underworld looking for trouble and then got drunk."

"I could've guessed that much," she grumbled.

"I took her home but the Elders found out. They called us both for a meeting. They told Kate that if she has one more incident, her wings will be clipped," Chris revealed. "I know I should have shared all this before."

"It's okay," Sam nodded. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I've been in denial this whole time anyway. I think its all gotten worse since then. She thinks I don't notice sometimes when I come home from work but . . ."

"Sam, I think . . ."

"I know what you're going to say, and I don't think we're there yet," she replied. "Just let me talk to her."

"Sam, we may not have time for that. With the pressure we're under right now from the new Source and the fact that she has charges that depend on her, means that she can't afford to be struggling with whatever she's struggling with. We need to get her help."

The weight on Sam's chest became more dense. She could feel a lump in her throat. Tears warmed behind her eyes. But she wouldn't break. Not yet.

"No," she sighed. "No, I'm sorry Chris. I can't do this right now."

"What do you mean you can't do this right now?" he nearly shouted. It made little sense to him. It was obvious that Kate needed serious help. Of course for Chris things like this were always simple. The answer was concrete and the actions to proceed were just as clear. He was a man of planning and action and sometimes he failed to understand how his counterparts could be stalled by emotion.

"What do I mean? My mother died hardly a month ago. I'm not ready to storm through another family crisis quite yet!" she cried.

Chris frowned. He was sympathetic to his cousin's difficulties but he was also fairly certain of what was best; for all of them. "Sam, I know it's hard," he said gently. "But this needs to be confronted head on. The longer we let it go, the worse it gets."

"I know," she whispered. "But I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"Of course you're . . ." his words were cut off by the ring of Sam's cell. She sighed, sniffling as she yanked it out of its holder. "Who is it?"

She could have guessed without looking. In fact, now she regretted pulling out her phone and drawing attention to the call. Sam cleared her throat. "It's just work," she lied.

"But it's Sunday," Chris said. Before more could be exchanged he froze, suddenly captivated by the familiar jingle of a charge. "I have to go."

"Charge?"

He nodded. "We'll figure this out later, okay? We're not done."

"Whatever you say," she replied.

Chris anxiously glanced about and once deciding all was cleared, disappeared in a flash of orbs. Sam sighed, slightly relieved by his exit. The calm was only momentary, however, as her phone blared with another ring. She had been ignoring it all week and unfortunately Chris was right about one thing; _this needed to be confronted head on. _With a frustrated groan she flipped open the device.

"Meet me in the usual place. One o'clock."

She hung up. She would have to face him. She had to protect her family. More importantly she had to stop it all before it could start.

* * *

If it was at all possible, Laura would have fallen asleep on her feet. Life as a resident doctor at the San Francisco Memorial Hospital was never easy, but fighting demons on her off time was becoming absolutely exhausting. Her double life was getting the best of her and while she tried desperately to ignore the heaviness of her eyelids, she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Hey, Dr. Halliwell, we have a trauma coming in!"

The voice was enough to keep her from collapsing in her spot. She jerked up from the wall where she had been leaning and straightened the stethoscope around her neck. Sunday mornings were relatively slow in the emergency room, but with flu season hitting its peak, there were plenty of patients storming through their doors.

As soon as the gurney was rolled through Laura took a spot on one side of the stretcher. Dr. Eli Harris and a nurse joined her on route and the paramedics who pushed the gurney looked more terrified than usual.

It was no ordinary patient.

The first indicator of his arrival was the feral scream that growled through his chest and echoed loudly. He flopped and twisted angrily on the gurney, jerking away from the paramedics who tried desperately to keep him on the bed.

"Twenty-eight year old male, found outside his office building downtown," one of the paramedics told Dr. Harris, handing him the chart.

"Keep your hands off me!" the man yelled.

"He's been like this since we arrived on seen. Apparently he was screaming and rolling on the ground like this before someone called 911," the paramedic shouted over the unruly patient.

"Let's get a psyche consult up here," Eli decided.

"Pupils are dilated," Laura told him.

"Let me go! Let me out of here!"

"He's burning up," the nurse added.

They pushed through the double doors of an exam room. The man jerked to leave the bed and the paramedics struggled to hold down his arms.

"Dr. Halliwell, what's a possible cause of dilated pupils and a high fever?"

"Drug use of some kind, specifically cocaine," Laura answered her superior. Though she was nearing the end of her residency, attending doctors were sure to keep her on her toes.

"Very good."

"You two shut up! Shut up! Let me go! Let me out of here now! I swear to God I'll kill you!"

"Temp is 102," the nurse said.

"Let's get him some fluids and . . ."

"God, its burnings all over! It burns!"

"That's because you have a high fever, my friend." Eli told him. "Now you want to tell me how much cocaine you've been doing?"

"My head! My head! Ah God! Let me out of here! Let me go!"

The nurse struggled to put in the IV needle as the man jerked away. He ripped one of his arms loose from the paramedic and quickly knocked over a nearby tray of sterile tools. The metallic crash sounded loudly in the room and he continued his screams. Two medical students entered the room, only to be struck quiet by the scene.

"Let met out of here!"

"We're going to need 20ccs of ativan," Laura told one of the med students. "Now!"

"Let me go! Please! It's the demons!"

Laura paused. Her heart stopped. And in an instant she realized how fiercely her senses were raging. Certainly this was nothing demonic. This was a man in a hospital with a mortal malady.

Granted as she helped the nurse and med student and paramedics hold the man down to the gurney, something didn't add up. Here was a businessman, still dressed in his suit and tie, found outside his office downtown. He had a wedding band on his finger and minus his sweating, red-faced appearance, Laura got the feeling he was a rather successful, normal man. Not a cocaine user. Or at least not the typical junkie that overdosed in their hospital.

"Something's wrong…" she mumbled.

"The demons! My head! My head! It's burning! Please let me go! Let go! Don't touch me! The demons did this to me!"

"He's hallucinating," one of the med students reasoned.

Laura bit on her lip. The sedative had arrived and the nurse and Dr. Harris were forced to let go of the patient in order to administer the ativan into the IV drip.

"Let go!"

The man quickly overpowered those who held him in place. With a loud growl and a burst of energy he pulled loose from the paramedic and kicked one of the med students away from the bed.

"Get security!" Eli yelled.

Before he could be heard, the man quickly punched Dr. Harris in the face. He was up from the gurney, easily throwing the paramedics away with a few flying elbows. When the nurse attempted to get him with the needle he slapped away her hand. The nearby med student attempted to force the patient back to the gurney, only to find a pair of teeth sinking into his arm.

"Agh!" he screamed. "He bit me!"

Dr. Eli Harris was back on his feet and was received by a sharp pair of nails slicing across his cheek. Laura grabbed the man back before he could lunge again at her colleague but he snarled loudly before snapping his teeth down on her hand. She yelped in pain before pulling her arm back.

Not a second later, three security guards charged through the examination room doors, quickly overpowering the patient and throwing him down to the gurney. The nurse timidly injected the man with a sedative, while the rest of the medical staff remained frozen in their places.

The damage was impressive for one man. One medical student was on the floor, cradling an arm gnashed by sharp teeth. The other student stood in the corner, dazed with fear. Eli adjusted his glasses, disheartened to find them bent out of shape. One of the paramedics was completely knocked out and his partner carefully tended to him on the floor. Laura pulled in a steadying breath, gaze stuck on her bleeding hand.

"Your tetanus shot updated?" Dr. Harris asked her.

"Yeah," she said.

"Get a nurse to clean that up for you," he advised.

She nodded. A bite wasn't the worst thing doctors had gotten in the emergency room. With the amount of gang members and inner city homeless that came into the county hospital, it was rather normal to find yourself coming face to face with someone not particularly civil. Granted, it was still Laura's first bite. She had seen crazy patients before, high off acid or God knows what or simply struggling under intense pain, but it was the first time one had ever taken out the immediate medical staff.

"You know, this place should come with a warning," a familiar voice said. Laura glanced up to find her oldest cousin sitting in a lobby chair. Her hand had been bandaged and she was finally off a long twelve hour shift. A grin widened across her face. "It's much more dangerous than it looks."

"Oh if you only knew," she told him

"You still on for our lesson?" Wyatt asked.

"To be honest I rather crawl into bed and sleep but with the moving going on at the house that seems unlikely," Laura sighed.

"So is that a yes?"

"Teach me your ways master," Laura answered.

"Wow, you really are tired," he chuckled, "but I could get used to being called master."

"Lets go make me a fighting machine," she said as they exited the hospital, ignoring the uneasy feeling that came with her last patient.

* * *

_There's the start of episode 4! Thanks for the reviews and I hope to see more as this story continues...because trust me, no matter how slowly, it will continue! I had a little trouble with the last scene with Laura and the patient so hopefully that was okay. Otherwise, as you can see, a lot of these storylines are starting to reach their climax. Keep giving me feedback if you can because it helps! I have some rough ideas for this episode and the next one but everything is apt to change. Thanks for sticking with me this far and I hope you continue to enjoy the story! ~ Sammy _


	17. Bloodline : Segment 2

Nicholas Peterson wasn't the worst mistake Samantha Mitchell made. Or at least it hadn't appeared so until now.

In her own defense, she wasn't exactly aware of his evil ties when they started sleeping together. And in his defense, he didn't know of her status as the daughter of a Charmed One. All in all, they were doomed from the start without even knowing it. It was unfortunate because deep down, Sam found herself strongly attracted to the half-manticore, even if he did associate with the darkness of the Underworld.

"I knew you'd come back for more," he smiled.

"Don't make me sick," she scoffed.

The two met under the Golden Gate Bridge, hidden from mortals and her family alike. Nick stood with his brawn arms folded across his chest, dark eyes watching Sam carefully as she glared back at him.

"You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" she asked.

"What? How about you tell me. You're the one who called me here."

"Oh my God, you're the one who left me like a thousand messages! I've told you not to call me."

"What am I supposed to do when you freak out on me a few weeks ago, telling me to leave your family alone and to keep everything a secret?" Nick shouted.

"I know you were down in the Underworld," she said.

"Of course I was down in the Underworld. I'm a manticore," he told her. "Don't be stupid."

"Don't call me stupid, you stupid manticore!" Sam shoved his shoulder in anger. He quickly reacted with a hiss, his forked tongue flapping out of his mouth. "Gross, put that thing away."

"I could just kill you," he said.

"I know," she replied. "That's why we stopped seeing each other, remember?"

"Listen, I don't understand what the hell you're freaking out about."

"Kate was down in the Underworld! She said there was a demon there who called her "Sam" meaning that there's a demon down there, also known as you Nicholas, who knows who I am!" she explained.

"Okay, take a breath, Sam," Nick advised. She slowly complied. "Now listen, I never saw you or your sister in the Underworld."

"What?" she choked.

"That demon wasn't me," he replied.

"So that means there really is someone else on the inside," Sam murmured.

Nick's face fell in secret distress. "Wait, what do you mean? Someone you know? Who the hell do you know?"

"I know a lot of people, that's the problem," she said.

"Well, it doesn't necessarily have to be someone you know. It could be anyone in contact with the family…" Nick mumbled. He paced away, biting his thumb nail. "I swear to God, if I find out who . . ."

"What? You'll kill them?"

"Yes!"

"Don't forget what team you're on. I don't know how receptive the Underworld would be to you ruining their plans," Sam said.

Nick swallowed hard and nodded, regaining his composure. "You're right," he said. "It's probably what you deserve anyway."

"Screw you," she scowled.

"You already have, remember?" he teased.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Don't be so proud," she said. "And listen, about the deal, it's off."

"Why?"

"Because it's not worth keeping another dirty secret from my family."

"So you accidently slept with a manticore; its okay. I'm embarrassed of sleeping with you too."

"Number one, I hate you," Sam said. Nick only charismatically smiled. "Number two, I'm talking about the other deal. You can stop snooping around for me. We'll figure it out on our own. Getting you involved will just complicate things further. Besides, you're a shitty investigator anyway."

"I'll ignore that last part," Nick started. "But Sam, I'm happy to help. I may not be a member of the good magical community, but when my father was killed, I wanted nothing but revenge. I couldn't have closure until I knew who did it. I know your family needs that too. And while I don't necessarily like them, and I would kill them if I was given the chance, I am still fond of you. When you came to me upset after she died and you asked me to look into it, I wanted nothing more than to help."

"And I appreciate that, Nick. But with my family running around down there, I can't risk them finding out about what happened between us. The entire scare with Kate knocked some sense into me I guess. Besides, it's not fair to put you in a position where you have to change your alliance."

Nick frowned but nodded. "If it's what you want."

"It is," she replied.

"Well, at least let me tell you what I found out."

"About the Brotherhood?"

"More or less," he said. "For starters, you know there's a new Source, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"His name is Malum. He used to work under Zankou and was one of the few who made it out when your mother and aunts defeated him all those decades ago. I guess since then he's been simply plotting. He didn't really come into power until about a year ago."

"And what does the rest of the Underworld think about him?"

"To be honest, they think he's kind of strange."

"Strange how?"

"Well, he's very human. He wears a suit and a tie. He runs the Underworld like it's a business. I heard he even went to college and worked on Wall Street or something. Of course, those are all rumors. He keeps a residence and has his own army. Things have gotten very organized. Extremely organized."

"That's almost frightening. The more human they are…"

"The more dangerous it is," Nick nodded. "He's been making a statement for the past month. He's wiped out several clans of lower level demons. He finds no use for the barbaric and disorganized ones. He wants the Underworld to work as a uniformed body under his command. He's disciplining them."

"Any chance for a mutiny down there?"

"If he wasn't having so much success up here, there would be. The death of a Charmed One proved to everyone that he knows what he's doing. They coronated him as the new Source. They love him."

"Does he have any weaknesses?" Sam asked.

"He seems untouchable. I don't know much about his powers or abilities. To be honest, I haven't heard of him ever using them. He always has others doing his dirty work. It's funny, he could have no powers and no one would know it."

"Wouldn't that be nice?"

"He has a wife. Aliah. She's a piece of work. She scares the hell out of everyone. She has a son."

"Malum's?"

"No. No one knows who the father is but we all have some ideas," Nick answered. "His name is Delezar. From what I hear, he's not a very impressive demon, but Malum made him head of the Brotherhood of Thorn."

"The Brotherhood of Thorn killed my mother," Sam said.

Nick nodded. "More importantly though, the Brotherhood of Thorn exists because its members are bound by a blood oath."

"Yes, I know that."

"Blood oath," Nick emphasized. "As in they share the same blood. To resurrect that Brotherhood, someone has to already have the blood. Now we all know the Brotherhood was destroyed decades ago, which means the bloodline was wiped out…"

"But the Brotherhood was resurrected," Sam repeated. "Meaning that someone was a descendent of a previous member of the Brotherhood of Thorn."

"Or someone from the original Brotherhood is still alive."

Sam's eyes widened. "No."

"Yes."

"No," she shook her head. "That's not possible. You're talking about Cole Turner."

"You're smart for a stupid witch," Nick winked.

"Shut up, this isn't funny right now. Are you saying Cole Turner resurrected the Brotherhood of Thorn and killed my mother?"

"No. No this is all a theory," he said. "And I'm not saying Cole Turner resurrected the Brotherhood. No, not Cole Turner. _Cole Turner's blood_."

* * *

"You stuck with the story. The same story Chris and Kate and Joey told. That's all you could do," Leo assured his wife.

"I know, I know. But I just have a terrible feeling about all this," Piper shook her head. "No matter which way we try to spin it, the story sounds unbelievable, and this detective knows something's up."

"We can only wait and see," he replied. He closed the door behind them as she walked through the foyer of the manor. Almost immediately Piper took sight of a pair of boxes at the bottom of the stairs.

"Are those yours?" she asked Leo.

"No."

"Joey!" she shouted.

Thumping down the stairs, another box in hand was her youngest nephew. "Hey, aunt Piper. How'd the statement go?" he greeted.

"Fine I guess. Um, what are you doing honey?"

"I'm moving out."

"What?"

"Melinda needs a roommate and I can't live here forever," he said.

"But you can. You don't have to leave," Piper said quickly.

"You know you're welcome to stay as long as you want," Leo nodded.

"I kind of liked having you around," she added.

"But Lucy said . . . never mind," Joey shook his head. "This is the right decision. I think."

"Kind of sudden if you ask me," Piper replied.

"It's his choice, sweetheart…" Leo murmured into her ear. He could already tell Piper was about to pounce on their nephew with her usual overbearing and protective streak. She glared at him.

"I know that," she hissed back.

"I mean, I'm going to be graduating from college this year and I'm living with my aunt and uncle…" Joey continued. The statement came unsure as if he was still trying to understand the revelation himself. Leo and Piper exchanged confused looks as he took a seat on the stairs. "And before that I was living with my mom. I mean, I'm almost twenty-two years old."

"Joe, there's nothing wrong with that," Piper assured.

"It's not just about where I'm living. I mean, I really do need to grow up," he said.

Piper slowly took a seat next to Joey and gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "Where's all this coming from?" she asked.

"I don't know," he sighed. "I guess I've been thinking a lot."

"About what?" she asked.

Leo gave Piper a sympathetic look before silently departing, leaving her to handle Joey. For whatever reason, Joey had always been close with Piper, and in turn she had nearly adopted him as a third son since Paige's death. It was understandable. In some ways, the two were actually alike. Not only did they share a birthday, but they shared a desire to help their family, bring warmth to others, and retain a quiet strength that was subtle but powerful.

"I don't know what I want to do with my life," Joey groaned. "I'm going to have a degree in four months and I don't have the slightest idea what the hell I'm going to be. I can't be a bartender forever."

"It's completely normal to not have a direction right now."

"I just feel like everyone in this family has their calling. And I'm not necessarily talking about magic either. I mean, Wyatt's a chef, Mel's a teacher, Laura's a doctor, Sam writes for the paper, Chris works for the restaurant. And even Kate and Lila have their magical callings going for them. They all knew what they wanted to do. And I have no idea. I'm just going to live with my aunt for the rest of my life," he ranted.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," Piper chuckled. Joey rolled his eyes and she gave him a nudge with her shoulder. "You know, when I was your age I didn't know what I wanted to do either. Hell, I was working as a banker."

"A banker?"

"Yeah. And I hated it," she nodded. "It was your great-grandmother who forced me to get into the restaurant business. And even then I was twenty-six years old when I finally realized I wanted to run the club. Your aunt Phoebe went back to college when she was about your age and got her job as a columnist all by chance. And don't even get me started on your mother. She had so many jobs I lost count. She worked as a social worker, then at a temp agency, was head of Magic School for a short stint, and then decided to become a full-time whitelighter."

A smile tickled Joey's mouth. "I guess it just seemed like you guys always had things all together," he said.

"Just between you and me Junior, we never did," Piper said. "And the truth is you probably never will either. You come from a long line of late bloomers in the career world. There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do right now."

"Thanks aunt Piper," Joey replied.

"Anytime," she assured as she patted him on the back. "So you can go ahead and take those boxes back upstairs . . ."

Joey bit on his lower lip. "Uh, I think I'm still going to move in with Melinda," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I love living here, and I appreciate you housing me for so long. But I think it's the next step for me."

Piper nodded. "Of course," she said. "Of course. Don't let me hold you back. Do you need more boxes?"

"No?" Joey mumbled, watching as she quickly bolted up from the stairs. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "I'll be in the kitchen."

Leo watched as Piper entered and struggled to suppress his smirk. "What Leo?" she snapped.

"You cry like this every time one of the kids moves out," he said.

"I'm not crying!" Piper exclaimed with a sniffle. "And don't even say the words empty nest syndrome!"

* * *

It had been over a decade since Laura last ventured through the endless corridors. Almost instantly she was overwhelmed by memories. Childhood remembrances of lessons and daycare all flashed through her head. While she and her sisters and cousins had all attended public school, they had also spent plenty of time in the confines of Magic School.

Laura was never particularly fond of the place. Looking back most of her memories of it were bitter and disheartening. While the other Halliwells roamed through the halls, she would usually hole up in the library, patiently reading until her time in the mystical school was over. For whatever reason she never grew comfortable with the other magical students. They all seemed much more enthusiastic and competent than she ever did. In reality, most of them only stared when they saw her. The Halliwells were famous. Of course while some of her family members were at ease with the fact, it always unsettled her. What with her awkward teen years, nerdy habits, and frequent panic attacks it was not surprising she didn't welcome the extra attention. She fit in at Magic School about as well as she had at mortal school and even now she resented it.

"Been a long time, huh?" Wyatt said beside her. Laura glanced up at him and nodded. He strode calmly down the hall with her, kindly nodding to those who recognized him as the pair went on their way.

"What about you? Come up here often?" Laura asked.

Wyatt shrugged. "I try to come a few times a month," he smiled. "I think it's important to invest in the next generation of magic, so I stop in and help teach when I can."

"So I'm just another charity case?" Laura chuckled.

"No, not a charity case. Just my favorite cousin," Wyatt replied.

"Well, I'm flattered . . ."

Her words were drown out by an enthusiastic uproar from down the hall. She could spot a group of small heads and suddenly rushing toward her and her cousin were what she assumed to be Magic School students. "Wyatt!" they exclaimed. "Wyatt!"

"Hey," he greeted with the warm and fluid laugh that could only belong to him.

The children couldn't have been older than seven years old and swarmed around with vigor. "Wyatt! Are you here to teach us how to move people?"

"Not today," Wyatt answered, though it was difficult with all their inquiries and excitement. Laura watched on with a wide grin, impressed but not surprised by the fanfare the youngsters had for her cousin. Wyatt was one of the most generous and accepting people she had ever met. He was deservedly popular among all kinds \with his easy-going nature. Now as his five year old admirers clamored around, Laura could only be amused.

"Wyatt, yesterday I moved an apple all by myself!"

"Is it true that you can blow everyone up?" another pulled at the bottom of his shirt.

"Once I saw a demon and I wasn't even scared!"

"Can you come play with us?"

"I'm sorry guys, we're going to have to play another time," he said. "But I want you to meet my cousin, Laura. Can everyone say hi?"

"Hi Laura!" the group exclaimed in unison.

"Hi," she smiled.

"We have to go now but you all behave. I see everything, remember?"

"Bye Wyatt!"

As they departed from the sea of youngsters, Laura couldn't help but beam. "I have to admit, that was kind of cute," she said.

"They're good kids," Wyatt replied.

"Ever thought of being a kindergarten teacher?"

"Ha. Not even I have the patience for that," he chuckled. They rounded a corner and Wyatt soon led them into a large and vacant room. It looked like a classroom. There was a blackboard and desks lined up in neat rows. "Here we are."

"Are we allowed to be in here?" Laura asked.

"Are you always so worried?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Well, that explains a lot," he told her. Wyatt sat on top of one of the desks, watching as Laura slowly paced around. "So when did the problems with your powers start?"

"Birth," Laura replied.

"Funny," Wyatt rolled his eyes. "No, I mean recently, when did things start getting out of control?"

"I don't know. When my powers came back I guess. It wasn't too bad in the beginning but now I can't differentiate between freezing and combusting. My teleporting isn't that sharp. My senses are about the only things that seem accurate nowadays. Before everything was so easy. I hardly had to think or worry about using my powers. I just didn't think that it would take this long for me to get everything back."

"But you were resistant to your powers when you first got them," Wyatt said.

"Well, of course. I didn't want to be Charmed. But now that's behind me. No offense Wy, but I was hoping you'd be the last person I'd have to explain this to. I know I've been a family disappointment but . . ."

"Laura, you're not a family disappointment. And this is where the problems with your powers are coming from," he sighed. Laura stopped her pacing and stared at him dumbfounded.

"Sorry, you're going to have to explain."

"You have an inferiority complex with your powers," Wyatt stated. "You feel uncomfortable with them. Incompetent and unsure of yourself."

He rose from the desktop and eased in front of her. Laura stared up at him in anticipation. "Where do you think our powers come from?" he asked.

"Our ancestors?"

"Well, that's true. But the way we control our powers, the way that we harness them and best use them, all comes from here . . ." he tapped the top of his head with a finger. He then took his other hand and patted the top of Laura's left chest. "and right here. Our powers are tied to our mental and emotional states. If you think you can't use your powers right, you can't. If you're stressed and worried and scared, your powers are going to reflect that. It's not as simple as being powerful. It's about your mind and your heart."

"That's pretty deep. I never thought of it like that."

"It's what separates us from evil. Our ability to have thoughts and emotions is what makes us witches and them demons. It's what makes us Haliwells and it's why our family has always been so unstoppable," Wyatt winked. "You said before you didn't have to even think about your powers. It's because you were confident. We just need to get that back."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Laura asked.

"Well, before we can start adjusting the more technical aspects of your problems, we're going to work on your mind and body," he said as he nearly skipped back over to the desk he had been sitting on top of. "Come on."

Laura hesitantly climbed to a seat atop the desk next to him. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?"

"Just relax and do what I do," Wyatt advised. He crossed his legs beneath him and Laura groaned as she did the same. He rested the backs of his hands on his knees, allowing his palms to face upward toward the ceiling.

"You look like Buddha," Laura laughed.

"Well, the Buddha had some very good ideas that I'm rather fond of. In fact, I think everyone in the family could benefit from his teachings, but could you imagine me trying to get Chris to listen?" he chuckled. "Now, allow your shoulders to loosen but keep your back straight. Just let your muscles relax."

Laura struggled to find a comfortable position and only twisted her face with uneasiness. Wyatt's eyes were shut as he continued to talk. "This is called meditation. Don't think of anything. Allow your mind to be empty…"

"Shouldn't I be learning how to blow things up?"

"This is going to allow you to find your center. It's in meditation that you find yourself and in our case, it will allow us to better connect with our powers," Wyatt answered. "Now are you relaxing?"

"I'm trying to."

"Relax Laura. I can feel your tension from over here."

"Sorry," she said with a huff.

"Are your eyes closed?"

She quickly squeezed her eyelids shut. "Yes," Laura answered. She gave a long exhale and chewed on her lower lip. Wyatt remained tranquil in his spot. She peered open an eye to peek at him.

"Laura . . ." he warned. "Just try not to think about anything."

"I'm trying! I just have a million things to do today."

"See this is your problem. You're too stressed to establish a firm connection with your powers," Wyatt sighed.

Laura rolled her eyes before closing them. She readjusted her position on the table. She cracked her neck from side to side. A minute in the quiet was becoming unbearable. "How long do you do this?"

"I try to meditate an hour a day," Wyatt replied.

"That explains why you're so damn calm all the time," Laura mumbled.

"Shhhh," Wyatt soothed.

"Sorry. When are we done?"

"Why can't you just enjoy this time?" he asked evenly.

"By now you should know I'm not a very calm person, Wyatt. It's very hard for me to not be anxious!"

"Well that's why we're working on it. Now I'll stay here all day until you get it right. Just focus on breathing, close your eyes, and for lack of a better phrase, shut up," he said.

Without another word, Laura complied. Though she struggled to find a comfortable position for the first five minutes, the next twenty passed rather harmlessly. She could feel her body slacken and her brain stopped raging with its usual relentlessness. It was almost as if she could float she felt so light. No more burdens or worries tampered with her as she sat. And if she wasn't mistaken she could almost feel that connection Wyatt was talking about. If someone told her to freeze she would be able to. If they said burst that demon into flames, she'd be able to do that too. It was like some sort of spell but in fact so much simpler than that. Who knew that Wyatt was onto something…

She felt stronger in this state. She was surely more confident. The power could surge through her at any instant. In fact, it did. Her senses became sharp and delicate. She could imagine and feel everything around her. The room. The empty classroom. Without even a glance she could feel Wyatt hovering slightly above his desk.

And then suddenly she sensed something much less innocent. It wasn't coming from the classroom. No, it was coming from her. It was her hand. It was the patient at the hospital. Something was wrong.

The pair jumped at the loud blare of her beeper.

"Laura…" Wyatt scolded.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't think I'd get reception up here."

He rolled his eyes as she glanced at the page. "It's the hospital," Laura announced. Her brow furrowed. "It's an emergency. I need to get back down there."

"I thought you were off."

"Me too. I think it's one of my patients," she said as she jumped off the table. She was about to thank him for the lesson when a pain shot through her hand. With a hiss she grabbed onto it, silently cursing the man who had given it to her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Laura answered. "You think you could come with me?"

"To the hospital?"

"Yeah. I just have a bad feeling about this one."

"Demonic?"

"Something like that," she replied.

"Meditation worked, huh?" Wyatt grinned.

"Don't get ahead of yourself Buddha…"

* * *

Melinda Halliwell had a thing for jerks.

It wasn't that she ever went after the bad boys or self-absorbed, but for whatever reason her relationships always ended with heartache. In her short romantic history, she had dated two cheaters, one liar, and a freeloader who only seemed interested in the Triquetra's complimentary food and made her pay for all their dates. It was no wonder her brothers were so wary of her boyfriends.

Jack Mason was different. Not only was he attractive and funny and from what she could tell, smart, but he seemed to have a genuine interest in who she was. He was a good listener. He opened her doors on dates, pulled out her chair, paid, and always acted a gentleman. There was chemistry between them. Jack was interesting and sweet. He made her heart race. Now Melinda only waited for a fault.

"You know, I think I could do without meeting your brothers. I could feel them glaring at me at the New Year's Eve party and I can only imagine how much more intense that is up close and personal . . ." Jack ranted as he lounged on the couch of Melinda's living room, somehow finding enough air to talk between kisses.

"I'm sure they'll love you," she murmured before pressing her lips to his once more.

"You're such a liar. You aren't even making eye contact."

"Why do you have to talk right now?" Melinda groaned.

"Why not?"

"Because talking about my brothers certainly doesn't put me in the mood!"

"I guess that'd be a little weird if it did," Jack chuckled. Melinda smacked him with a throw pillow and he retaliated by tickling her. She screeched and he laughed and in an instant the room was filled with their energy. They tousled on the couch, only to be interrupted by a knock on the apartment door. "You going to get that?"

Melinda shook her head. "Maybe they'll go away."

"Mel, it's me. I know you're in there…"

The knocking continued at an obnoxious rate. Jack shoved her toward the door and she only hushed him. "Be quiet," Melinda advised.

"I heard you like a second ago. Open the door!"

She sighed, realizing avoiding her family was nearly impossible. Joey stood on the other side, one box in hand, and two others at his feet. Her eyes widened. "Joey," she nearly exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting you."

"You said I could move in," he replied.

"Yeah, like an hour ago. I didn't think you'd be packed and ready at my door so soon," Melinda said.

"Sorry. I can come back . . ."

"No, its fine," she told him. She chuckled as she looked down at his belongings. "You really weren't kidding about fitting your life in three boxes, were you?"

Joey shrugged as he entered, only to stop in his spot when he set eyes on Melinda's visitor. "Hi," Jack greeted timidly.

"Hi," Joey said. He glanced back at Melinda who was scurrying to stand between them.

"Jack, this is my cousin Joe. Joe this is Jack Mason," she introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Jack smirked. "I work with your sister Sam. I've heard a lot about you."

"I saw you at the New Year's Eve party," Joey nodded slowly. He studied the man carefully, sizing him up and down in scrutiny.

"Melinda says you're going to be her new roommate," Jack said.

"Yeah, I am. You here often?" Joey asked.

"Joey," Melinda hissed at her cousin.

"No, it's fine," Jack said. "Melinda and I have been dating if that's what you're asking."

"Dating? Really?"

"Jack . . ."

"Listen, buddy, if you're going to be dating my cousin, you're going to have to pass a few tests."

"Tests?"

"Joey!" Melinda nearly shouted. "Stop it."

"It's okay, I was on my way out. I'll have to take those tests another time," Jack smiled. He gave Melinda a kiss. "I'll see you later. And it was nice meeting you."

"Yeah…" Joey said as he departed. When the door shut, Melinda gave him a punch to the arm. "Ow!"

"I hate you so much right now," she growled. "I get enough of that crap from Wyatt and Chris. Don't do it to me too."

"I have to give him a little shit, Mel," Joey sighed.

"Am I going to regret having you as a roommate?"

The serious tone made Joey immediately regret his actions. "I'm sorry."

"I'll forgive you this once," Melinda told him. It was hard for her to stay mad at anyone, especially Joey. "But there are some boundaries and rules we need to go over if you're going to live here."

"Such as…"

"The living room is a common space. That means if you bring some girl home, you take her to your room for . . ."

"Yeah, okay, I get that one."

"No leaving the seat up. Don't leave the lights on. Fold the towels in the hall bathroom after using them. Turn the TV off when you're done. No smoking in the house. No weed in the house period, Joey, I'm serious about this one."

"What? Melinda, I'm your baby cousin. I would never…"

"You are so full of it."

"This is San Francisco," he sighed. "Besides, it's uh medical…I have…a bad back."

"Bull. I don't want it here…"

"I want to add a rule. No cock blocking."

"What?"

"No cock blocking!" Joey insisted.

"You just cock blocked me you hypocrite!"

"Ew, you and the douche bag?"

"Don't say that about Jack. And while we're on the subject, I don't want you bringing home those gross, blonde floozies from the club that I know you pick up on!"

"Some of them are nice girls!"

Before more could be exchanged in the friendly wrangle, a pounding on the door interrupted them. Joey raised an eyebrow. "Should I get that or are there rules for who answers the door too?"

Melinda pinched his ear as she passed, ignoring his squeal while she made her way toward the front door. The knocking continued incessantly, loud and desperate. "Hold on," Melinda sighed.

"Hurry! I need help! Help me!"

This had the young Halliwells nearly pouncing at the door. Melinda quickly flipped the lock and flung open the barrier. Joey rose from the couch, feeling anxious himself at the arrival of their unknown visitor. The woman nearly jumped on top of Melinda as soon as she was in reach, trembling in fear. Without much choice, Melinda patted the woman on the back, staring back at Joey in confusion.

"I'm sorry to come here, but I didn't know where else to go," she explained. "I kept calling for Kate and . . ."

By now Melinda recognized the voice. "Oh my God, Elle?" she said.

The woman pulled back and nodded, face flushed of color and still panting for breath. Elle anxiously glanced over her shoulder and shut the door. "There's a demon," she said. "I can't shake him. Kate hasn't answered my calls and I was hoping she'd be here."

"No, no, she's not," Melinda shook her head. "What do you mean there's a demon? Is he still after you?"

Elle caught her breath. "I thought he was a darklighter at first but he was trying to hit me with something different than arrows. I can't explain it," she sighed. Elle was one of Kate's charges and the young witch now seemed helpless as she stood in the apartment. Both Kate and Chris' charges were fortunate enough to not only have the help of Halliwell whitelighters, but for the most part could also depend on their family members. Elle was no exception and had been introduced to Melinda and Lila's apartment years earlier. It was a safehouse of sorts for if things ever got bad. She hadn't had to use it until now.

"Well, you're safe now . . ." Melinda stopped as a violent boom hit the other side of her door. Both Elle and Melinda simultaneously screamed, watching as the barrier shook. Joey backed up from the couch to join them.

"What do we do?" he asked.

"Kate!" Elle shouted.

"Kate get your ass down here!" Joey joined in.

The door thundered again. It sounded as though it was being kicked down from the other side. They could hear the wood in the doorframe cracking and splintering. The heavy foot of the demon battered it again with brute force. Both Joey and Melinda stood in front of Elle, though neither had much fire power against their oncoming foe.

In an instant, the barrier broke open.

The demon stood menacingly before them, not hesitating to make the first move. With a quick flick of his hand, he threw Joey aside. Joey flipped over the other side of the couch, landing ungracefully but unharmed.

In the mean time the demon prepared to strike at the two remaining witches. He conjured a dark device. It looked like a crossbow gun but it wasn't loaded with any arrow. He aimed it without hesitance at Elle and Melinda and pulled the trigger. A small pellet soared from the device but before it could reach the pair, Melinda threw up her hands, freezing both the intruder and his projectile.

With the demon motionless in his place, Melinda gave a heavy sigh in relief. She anxiously glanced around. "Joey, are you okay?" she asked.

He warily popped up from the ground and nodded. "Totally fine," he nodded.

"Now what do we do?" Elle asked.

The answer came with Melinda's shout. "Chris!" she called. When it doubt or danger, she called her brothers. "Chris!"

Joey rubbed the back of his neck while Elle slowly stepped toward the frozen dart. It was no larger than a bead but was defined by a sharp point at its end. It looked like a bee's stinger, prepared to impel whoever it came in contact with. Elle reached out to grab it, only to be distracted by a pair of bright orbs landing in the room.

"Don't touch that," Chris advised quickly. Elle instantly withdrew her hand and took a step back. Chris stood between the frozen pellet and demon, seeming far too distracted to be fully concerned with the predicament in his sister's apartment.

"What is it?" Melinda asked him.

"That dart is how the virus is spreading," he answered.

"What virus?" Elle asked.

"I just got back from talking with the Elders and . . ."

"Chris look out!"

Melinda's warning wouldn't have done even the fastest witch any good. By the time the room became unfrozen, Chris' back remained aimed at their adversary, leaving him vulnerable to attack. Seeing the soon to develop catastrophe, Joey sprinted from his spot, slamming into the demon and tackling him to the ground before he could even think of touching Chris.

The demon, while surprised, reacted expertly to Joey's attack. He rolled on top of the young mortal, prepared to strike when Chris telekinetically threw him across the room. He slammed into the wall, his head splitting almost instantly when it dented the plaster. As his body slid to the ground and shook the floor with a thud, Chris quickly proceeded.

"Gun," he said.

In an instant the demon's dart gun was absorbed in a flurry of orbs and landed in Chris' palm. Melinda eased next to him and Chris carefully handed her the weapon. In the mean time he approached the man.

"Who sent you?" he asked.

The demon spit and Chris kicked him across the jaw. Blood spurted from the demon's lips as he groaned on the floor. "You want to talk?"

"Are you stupid enough to think I'll tell you?"

"Is there a cure?"

"How should I know?"

"Then you're useless to us," Chris sighed. He held out a hand and Melinda obediently passed him the gun. He aimed at the demon's forehead and before he could yank the trigger, a crash sounded behind them.

Pots and pans clattered in the kitchen, putting everyone on edge once more. Elle and the three Halliwells instantaneously turned around to see the new interloper. "Whoops," a familiar voice slurred. Clumsily pulling herself up with the aid of the kitchen counter was Kate. She swayed as she stood, eyes glazed and vacant as she clamored toward them.

"Kate?" Melinda nearly choked.

"S-S-Sorry my orbing's a little funny," she hiccupped.

"I called for you," Elle said timidly.

Kate nearly tripped over toward them, clinging to the couch in order to maintain balance. "I heard," she nodded. "I-I had um . . . nother charge?"

"Are you drunk right now?" Chris nearly hissed as he stepped for her. His hazel eyes were almost wild with disbelief but also strained with concern.

"No!" Kate snapped. "Mmm not drunk. Not drinking now."

"You have charges Kate!" Chris scolded her.

"Guys…" Joey started but was quickly cut off.

"She-she-she's fine! See? Elle's right here!"

"Because I came and cleaned up this mess!" Chris retorted. "If it wasn't for Melinda, she'd probably be dead!"

"Guys?" Joey tried again.

"You think you're so-so much better than me!" Kate yelled. "I drink a tiny bit-bit. When has that ever hurt anybody?"

"When other people depend on you!"

"Guys!" Joey interrupted. "The demon is gone."

"Shit," Chris groaned. The only trace of their intruder was a dent in the wall. Chris glared at his belligerent cousin. "Thank you."

"Don't bl-blame this one me-me!" Kate shouted.

"If you hadn't orbed in drunk…"

"Screw you!"

"Okay, okay, everyone calm down," Melinda said, gently grabbing Kate by the arm. She slowly led her toward the couch. "How about you sit for a minute and we all just take a breath. The important thing is that everyone is okay."

Chris bitterly turned away, hands on his hips as Melinda patiently attended to their cousin. Joey slowly rose from his place on the floor and Elle looked helpless as she watched the scene.

"I was going to come," Kate slurred. She held her head between her hands, covering her ears. "There are just so many voices. They're all screaming at me all the time. It's so annoy-annoy . . . obnoxious."

"Those voices are your charges," Chris said. "Remember, the ones you're supposed to be helping? The Elders are going to clip your wings, you know that, right?"

"Chris, that's not helping anything right now," Melinda warned her brother.

"All of you jus-jus be quiet…" Kate murmured, addressing both her cousins and the jingles of charges.

"You were talking about a virus," Elle spoke up.

Chris looked to the witch and nodded. "The Elders think it's demonically produced. Its spread by those darts. Others can get it by exposure to an infected person."

"Is it just targeting witches?" Melinda asked.

"Mortals and magical beings alike," Chris said. "It starts with a fever. So far no one's died from it, but the Elders believe it will lead down that road."

"You think there's a fix?"

"There has to be," Chris replied.

Elle cleared her throat. "I…I was skimmed," she said.

"What?"

"The dart. When everything unfroze, the point scratched my arm," Elle whispered. Already sweat had formed at her brow and her alabaster complexion seemed paler. "It doesn't mean I'm sick does it?"

Chris and Melinda slowly exchanged looks, trying to mask their panic. The gravity of the situation was set deep in their eyes. "I think we should take you to the hospital," Chris said.

"No, I feel fine," Elle insisted.

"Elle, there's a good chance this will become more serious. If people are getting sick by simple exposure, a touch of that dart could be . . ." Chris stopped his own words. Melinda gently rubbed Elle's shoulder, giving the young girl gentle reassurance.

"It'll be okay, Elle," she soothed her.

"I'll go with you two to the hospital," Chris said. "I need to find Laura and I'll have Lila and Lucy meet us there."

"You think the power of three will stop this?" Melinda asked.

"What other hope do we have?"

"I-I-I'll come," Kate said, ungracefully getting up from her seat.

"I think you'd be better off here," Melinda told her, helping her back down to the couch. "We'll be back soon. Joey will stay with you, right Joey?"

When she glanced back for reassurance, Melinda only found her youngest cousin struck silent. He sheepishly chewed on his lower lip, chocolate eyes portraying apprehension. "Actually, I think I should go to the hospital with you too," he said.

"Joey, we can't leave Kate alone," Chris told him.

"I know," he nodded. "But uh . . . when I tackled that demon . . ."

Rather than continuing, Joey carefully held out his arm. Piercing his skin and protruding up from her forearm was a small black dart, sending only further trepidation through his family members. He shakily looked up to meet Chris' gaze while Melinda gasped. "Come on," Chris whispered. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"I can stay with Kate," Melinda said.

"No, we'll all go," Chris replied.

"I already feel hot," Joey murmured. "I mean, maybe it's all mental because I know what's going on. You know, I am a psychology major so . . ."

Melinda had already pressed the back of her palm to his forehead and frowned as it heated the back of her hand. "We need to hurry," she told Chris.

"Am I going to die?" Joey asked.

"No. No one's going to die."

* * *

_Thanks for the reviews! It's been easier to update quicker lately, so hopefully that won't slow down too much. I hope to keep hearing from all of you. The encouragement and feedback really keeps me going so continue feeding my inspiration ;) _

_Also, Kate's storyline is turning a little more about alcohol than PTSD, but I'm hoping to balance that as soon as we get further along. I'm also trying to ease the introduction of new characters, I know those can get annoying but they certainly help the story along. Tell me if there is anything that isn't working or if you want to see more of a certain storyline or a character! _

_And patricia02052 nice catch! Lol, I definitely didn't notice but you're totally right :) Thanks for all your indepth reviews, i always look forward to them and appreciate your comments!_


	18. Bloodline : Segment 3

The hospital was in chaos. On most days Laura could say that, but currently it was a blatant understatement. As she wandered down the sterile corridor, Wyatt trailing closely behind, nurses hurried past and gurneys were wheeled quickly around corners. There were no more examination rooms available and patients were being set up in the halls and a makeshift triage.

"We've been waiting for you."

James approached Laura, the stress palpable when he reached her. The tie around his neck was loosened and he nearly dragged her away in his urgency but stopped.

"What do you mean you've been waiting for me?" she asked.

"There's a problem," James answered. Before disclosing any further information he noticed the extra member of their party. Though his worries were elsewhere, he gave Wyatt a kind smile. "You're Joey, right?"

"Wyatt," he smirked.

"Right, I'm sorry," James blushed. "Well, it's good to see you again."

"Good to see you too," Wyatt nodded.

Laura glanced back at her cousin. "Can you wait for me in the lobby?" she asked.

"Of course," he said.

James swallowed hard, hand still wrapped around Laura's arm. "This has to do with the patient this morning, doesn't it?" she asked. He nodded. "And all the patients here?"

"We believe they've been infected by the same thing," he replied. James slowly led her down the hall and she followed after, her stomach churning with apprehension. "The Chief of Staff has been down here and there are three specialists from infectious diseases trying to figure it out. We've been waiting for you in a meeting."

"For me? It sounds like a meeting for the senior staff members," Laura said.

"But you were there. Eli's in with them too," James explained.

"What about you? Shouldn't you be upstairs in surgery?"

James chewed on his lower lip. "I wasn't going to leave you down here."

"Leave me down here?"

He stopped as they reached the conference room. Before opening the door, he gazed seriously into her face. "Listen, they have the Department of Public Health on the phone. This is serious, Laura. They've already stopped traffic in the hospital. No one can come down to the Emergency Room. They're thinking about sealing us off completely."

"Like a quarantine?"

"Exactly," he replied.

"James, you should get out while you can," she said.

He shook his head. "Not a chance. I'm of better use here anyway," he told her. Before she could protest he pulled open the door of the conference room, ushering her into the room full of doctors and faculty members.

* * *

"It was an amicable split."

"It was a long time coming."

"I don't understand why no one liked Phil," Lucy sighed.

"Because he smelled like hemp and had dreadlocks?"

"I'll miss him."

"I can find you a better Phil," Lila offered enthusiastically.

"No thank you," she replied.

"Come on, Louie, let me find you a match! It's my job after all."

"I'm not one of your charges, I'm your sister," Lucy said firmly. "I don't need your help."

"That's what everyone says at first," Lila told her. "You're just in denial."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope. Trust me, I know best about things like love. It's my specialty," she reminded her. "If only the rest of the family would just let me lend them a hand..."

"No one wants you meddling in their business," Lucy said as they rounded the corner to their childhood home. It was midday and though it was late January, the skies were finally starting to liven with winter's soon to come exit. After finishing up at their new residence, the girls only had a few more things to pick up from the condo before officially ending the moving process.

"No one is too good for my help. Take Laura for example…"

"Laura is happy with James."

"But they aren't right for each other."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I'm a cupid," Lila answered matter-of-factly.

Lucy screwed her face up in confusion. "Are you kidding me? That's your answer? You can't just use that as some sort of defense for your opinion."

"What I mean is that I can sense true love. Laura isn't honest with James so the reality is he's not even truly in love with her," Lila reasoned.

"I guess that kind of makes sense…"

"Well, you should give your big sister more credit every once in awhile, shouldn't you?" she replied as they reached the door. It was unlocked, so the two assumed Phoebe was home. Lila looked to Lucy as they stepped inside. "What do you need to grab?"

"Just a few things from my bedroom," she replied.

The two eased up the stairs, tensing the instant they heard a slight gasp from down the hall. Lila and Lucy exchanged glances. As had been the norm recently they were on edge, responding to even the slightest noise with a worst case scenario mentality. Demons were constantly intruding, taunting, and testing them at all times. Sleep was a rarity and relaxing was nearly impossible.

Now at the gentle thump a few rooms away, the two prepared to meet yet another adversary. "Mom?" Lucy tried.

There was no response. Lucy glanced to her sister for instruction and Lila slowly took the lead, quietly moving for the noise prepared to strike. It was coming from the master bedroom where the door was slightly cracked. Pulling in a calming breath, Lila quickly kicked open the door all the way with her foot, fists clenched. Lucy charged behind her, hands raised to fling at whatever demon awaited them.

"Mom!" Lila choked.

Wrestling in the sheets and trying her best to hide her face was Phoebe. The white linen was twisted around their mother's form and a larger lump appeared on the mattress beside her.

"Dad?" Lucy said in disbelief.

Coop's face was bright red as he appeared at his ex-wife's side. Phoebe kept the covers pulled up to her chin, hot with embarrassment.

"Girls, what are you doing here?"

"Uh, what the hell are you doing here?" Lila stammered.

"This is so gross," Lucy groaned.

"Um well…" Phoebe remained at a loss for words and glanced over at Coop.

"You see girls, when two people . . ."

"Save us the speech dad," Lila cut him off.

"I'm going to puke," Lucy told them.

"You two are supposed to be divorced," Lila said.

"And you two aren't supposed to be here right now," Phoebe managed in mortification.

"How long have you guys been sleeping together?"

"Lila Patience Halliwell, that is none of your . . ."

"Like a few weeks?" Coop rattled off. Phoebe slapped his arm and he winced.

"Ew!" Lucy sighed. "I wish we had found a demon instead."

"Okay, this is uncomfortable for us too! Can we stop having a family reunion with your parents caught in the act?" Phoebe shouted. "Or is that too much to ask?"

"You don't have to ask me twice," Lucy replied.

Lila nodded in agreement before her phone broke through the tension with a ring. She quickly answered, not bothering to leave the room for the call. Phoebe rolled her eyes in frustration as Coop carefully reached to the floor to gather their clothes.

"Mel slow down . . ." Lila said into the phone. Her tone soon had everyone's former outrage on the backburner. "What do you mean? Oh God . . ."

"What's going on?" Coop asked.

"It's Melinda. Joey's in the hospital," Lila told them. Phoebe's brown eyes widened with anxiety and Lucy stood next to her sister, placing her ear near the phone to hear.

"What happened to him?"

"He's sick. It's demonic and Chris says the rest of San Francisco is getting infected," Lila relayed once more. She went back to her conversation with Melinda. "Yeah, we'll be there right away."

"We'll meet you," Phoebe told her daughters. They both nodded.

"Yeah, get some clothes on," Lucy advised before grabbing onto Lila's hand and evaporating in a pink flash.

* * *

"The tests came back negative for cocaine, which was your original diagnosis, correct?"

"He displayed all the usual symptoms of an overdose," Dr. Eli Harris answered. Laura stood at his side, trying to remain calm as the sea of hospital administrators, superior doctors, and staff members stared at them.

"And you treated him with a sedative?"

"Yes. He was uncooperative and incoherent. We wouldn't be able to work on him without it, so I ordered for ativan," Laura replied. Eli nodded in confirmation.

"The medical student in the room with you, Mark Vasquez, was bit. He was almost immediately overcome by a similar infection. Fever, mania. Fourteen more cases from all over the city have come in. Your patient, Franklin Donovan, is in a coma."

"A coma?" Laura repeated.

"Donovan's blood work has been sent to the labs. They've identified an unknown antigen attacking his white blood cells."

"What if it's a mutated flu virus?" James suggested.

"Unlikely."

"Wait, do you think he's going to come out of it?" Laura cut in.

The room was quiet. The white lab coats that usually seemed vested with answers were at a loss. Everything seemed grim and she felt a coldness swarm in her stomach.

"We're closing off the hospital," the Chief of Staff announced. A flurry of hushed voices echoed in the room. "No one in, no one out. If this isn't resolved in twenty-four hours the Mayor is prepared to declare a state of emergency in the Bay Area."

"Are you sure we're not jumping the gun on a quarantine? No one's died."

"No one's died yet, Dr. Harris," he said. "You and Dr. Halliwell were both exposed. One of your colleagues is already infected, so both of you will be under observation."

"Under observation?" Laura choked.

"We have on file that you were bit by the patient."

"Yes, but you can't put us on lockdown. Not when I could be helping patients."

"You could be exposing patients."

"I haven't exhibited any symptoms," Laura insisted.

"Dr. Halliwell, this isn't up for debate . . ."

The door behind them was frantically thrown open by a med student. His face was bright red with stress and he panicked as he spoke. "We have at least nine more coming through the doors," he announced. Emergency Room doctors rose from the table to tend to those incoming while other staff members clamored with franticness. The medical student slid his way through the crowd of doctors shuffling about the room, desperate to reach Laura. "Dr. Halliwell?"

"Yes?"

"Your cousin has been admitted," he told her.

"What?"

"Your family asked me to come and find you . . ."

She was already pushing past him for the door at his words, ignoring the angry shouts of the Chief of Staff behind her.

* * *

Dr. Maxwell Salt hovered over the microscope, examining the slide below him with such care and thoroughness that sweat ran down his cheek. Well, actually, it was difficult to know whether his misted brow came from stress or fever. A good guess was that the culprit was both. His hands trembled as he adjusted the scope and he coughed on the starch sleeve of his lab coat when footsteps tapped behind him.

"Dr. Salt, I think you're running out of time," a voice croaked.

The scientist remained undisturbed. He only proceeded to put a new slide under the microscope, trying his best not to knock over the many vials and chemicals that surrounded him. The basement turned laboratory was adequate but cramped and he could only muse that his work could be much better back at the hospital.

"How much longer will this take?"

"You can't rush science, Malum," he replied with a cough.

"Surely if you crafted a virus, you know how to reverse it," Malum grumbled. He flopped down onto an empty stool, watching Dr. Salt with intrigue.

"This isn't a spell."

"Well, there's an idea. Maybe it can be cured by one," he chuckled.

"No, you wanted me to make this spell proof, and I did," Salt replied. He pulled away from his work and violently choked into a handkerchief.

"I should probably apologize," Malum said. He giddily swirled around on his stool and sighed. "But you know that's not in my nature."

"I'm well aware."

"I just thought if I infected you with the virus, you would be much more apt to work on an antidote quicker," Malum told him.

"Well, you were wrong. You'll be lucky if I don't die before you get one," Salt said.

"In which case, my plan will still succeed. Mortals will die and the Charmed Ones probably will as well."

"I think you underestimate them. They might find a solution for this before I do."

"They're witches, not chemists," he scoffed. Malum slowly paced around the room, loosening the silk tie around his neck. "You know, you're awfully calm about all this."

"I knew what I was doing when I went into business with you," Salt murmured nonchalantly as he continued peering into the microscope.

Malum smiled. "I never thought I'd get you to sell your soul to the devil."

"It wasn't all your doing, Malum," Salt said. "Don't give yourself so much credit. Besides saving my life, what is this antidote going to do exactly?"

"Give us an advantage," Malum answered.

"I understand but how?"

"It's a matter of economics my friend."

"And it's college all over again," Salt replied.

"Supply and demand to make it simple. Demand is reaching its peek. According to you, this could spread through the entire city in just thirty-six hours. The state could be wiped out by next Tuesday. Demand for an antidote is growing. People are going to be desperate. And the Charmed Ones…the Charmed Ones know it's demonic. They know that they have to stop it," Malum said.

"Yes, this I know, even without a Ph.D.," Salt sighed.

"Supply is low, demand is high, the price is going to rise. In fact, we'll be able to make it as high as we wish," he continued.

"What's the price?"

"The Charmed Ones can trade themselves for the antidote."

"It's far fetched."

"They'll be on our turf for negotiations. That's advantage number one. Advantage number two is that we have nothing to lose."

"Well, just my life."

"I win either way, don't you see?"

"Right, until they kill you and take the antidote for themselves."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need an antidote first," Malum said. "So hurry up or I'll kill you."

"You haven't changed a bit," Salt muttered.

"Yes, except we aren't in college anymore, and I won't hesitate to kill you," Malum chuckled.

"I would laugh if I knew you weren't serious."

"What's taking so long? It can't really be that complicated," he sighed.

"The problem is that the main component of the virus is demonic blood. The entire point was that a human or good witch's body doesn't have the chemical or genetic make-up to function with the substance in their bloodstream, leading to their eventual death. So essentially, to cure this, you're asking me to find a way to change the entire genetic make up of mortal beings," Salt explained. "Do you know how long that could take?"

"A few hours?"

"Decades of research and experimentation. There's a reason that scientists spend their lives dedicated to genetic research!"

"Don't get angry with me Maxwell," Malum said. "I'm just trying to run the Underworld and thwart all the good magic in the world! It's a lot of stress!"

"Well, you my friend have essentially dictated my fate because of your impulsiveness and have jeopardized the only chance you have at getting what you want by injecting me with the virus I created!"

"You're the one making it so complicated. Just find a cure!"

"You're an idiot!"

"Why do you have to change the genetic make-up of a person? Why can't you just cancel out the demonic blood?" Malum yelled.

Dr. Salt's face dropped. "That's it," he said. "Malum, you're a genius."

The ruler of the Underworld gave a smug smile as he adjusted his tie. "Of course I am."

* * *

"This is bad. So bad."

"I know. I can't get the images out of my head. They were naked and oh God…"

"What the hell is she talking about?"

"Don't ask," Lila sighed.

Chris anxiously bit on his nail, pacing back and forth in the lobby. Lila, Lucy, and Wyatt sat in chairs, watching as the hospital continued to swell with more people. The lobby was crammed with confused and concerned family members of other patients and the halls were teeming with doctors and gurneys. Outside ambulances continued to swerve in, pushing even more ill people through the doors.

"What else did the Elders tell you Chris?" Wyatt asked his brother.

"Nothing really," Chris groaned. "They did what they always do. Give us nothing to go off of and expect us to solve the problem."

"It's moving fast. This is only one hospital," Lila said. "There could be hundreds sick."

"Do you think Joey's going to be okay?" Lucy asked.

"He's going to be fine," Wyatt assured.

Chris ran a pair of hands down his face, trying to ignore the complete disaster that was seemingly taking place. Not only was a virus running rampant but the Halliwell family felt as though it were about to implode from the inside out. Joey was critically ill, the power of three was still in the process of building a foundation, and Kate was dancing on the brink of alcoholism. The worst part was it seemed that time was running out. There was no chance to address half the issues and the problems didn't seem likely to slow anytime soon.

Striding through the chaos towards them was Laura. Though expectedly troubled and stressed, she came with medical authority in her scrubs, doctor's coat, and the stethoscope around her neck. Without so much as stopping she spoke. "What's going on?"

"This entire virus is demonic," Chris said. "We're not going to have much time to stop it."

"Joey's been infected," Lila told her.

"So has Kate's charge, Elle," Wyatt added.

"And in case you were wondering, mom and dad are sleeping together," Lucy chimed in.

Laura gave her youngest sister a confused look before proceeding to address the more intense problems. "What are we supposed to do?"

"I say we go home, go to the Book, and see if there's a spell or potion that can stop this," Chris answered.

"It's a good place to start," Lila agreed.

"Okay, fine, but I want to see Joey first," Laura said.

"What happened to your hand?" Lucy asked before her sister could leave. Laura instinctively covered the bandage.

"You were bit, weren't you?" Wyatt spoke up. "At least that's what you said this morning."

Chris shook his head. "Laura…"

"I feel fine," she told him. "Really, I do. I've been monitoring my temperature. I still don't have a fever."

"You should . . ."

"I don't think we can afford to have a man down right now, okay?" Laura snapped. Chris' eyes widened and Lila smirked.

"She's right," she said.

"Great, now, where's Joey?"

* * *

Kate wandered the halls, ungracefully weaving through the traffic of the corridors and waiting rooms. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she was certain that she didn't want to be anywhere near her family. She would avoid them at all costs. She would avoid seeing her baby brother, sick in a hospital bed if only to retain sanity. If only to keep the illusion that she wasn't about to lose another family member. If only to avoid the questions about her sobriety and mental state.

She tripped past another doctor who stared at her in confusion. The buzz of her last binge was wearing off and she was ready to get out of the cramped quarters for another drink. She needed to be numb again to survive the current mess. It's why when she saw Wyatt coming near, she felt like sprinting in the opposite direction.

"Kate," Wyatt greeted. She was forced to stop and face him. His hazel eyes made it obvious he knew all. They glimmered with compassion and concern, and already she knew Chris had probably told him about the incident back at the apartment. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered.

"I thought I'd keep you company. I know you're probably worried about Joey," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

She could have done without his sympathy. "Are the doctors doing anything?"

"Everything they can. Laura went in to check him out herself," Wyatt told her. "If you don't want to go in now, we can get a cup of coffee from the cafeteria or something."

"They told you, didn't they?" Kate sighed.

"Told me what?"

"That I was drunk again," she answered.

Wyatt frowned, unable to mask the truth. "Kate, we're all worried," he said.

"Well, don't be."

"It's obvious something is wrong. You can't expect us to stand by and act like everything is okay," Wyatt told her. "We want to help."

"I don't need help," she snapped. "I don't understand why everyone can't just leave me alone. Don't any of you realize that that's what I want? So I drink too much. None of you know what I have to deal with on a daily basis."

With complete patience and calm Wyatt nodded. "Why don't you try to help me understand then?"

Kate's jaw clenched and she was prepared to tell him off with the rage she had been suppressing for weeks. Instead, however, she was suddenly overcome by a deafening ring in her ears. She gasped, covering them with her hands.

"What is it?" Wyatt asked.

"You can't hear that?" Kate managed through gritted teeth.

Then in an instant her entire form was consumed by bright orbs. Orbs that were certainly not her own. Her mouth dropped open in surprise before she was quickly whisked away by the neon blue lights. "Kate!" Wyatt called. He glanced around, half-expecting the others in the hospital to notice that his cousin had been taken away by orbs. Instead the doctors and patients alike continued without second thought and for a moment he felt relief at the lack of exposure. And then with an extra pause, he realized what had happened. The Elders were responsible for this and he shuddered with the realization. "Shit."

* * *

It burned.

That was all that Joey could feel. It wasn't his first fever. Hell, he remembered miserable winters with the flu as a child. But this fever was different. His head pounded so violently that he could feel his brain throbbing against his skull. His cheeks were on fire and the feeling stemmed from his neck, stifled his chest, and worked its way down to his toes. It seemed as though even his lungs were burning as each breath came painfully through his barely parted lips. He felt like dunking himself into a tub of ice while concurrently shaking beneath the thin hospital bed sheet. His teeth chattered so harshly and consistently that his jaw ached and sweat coated his back thickly enough to dampen his gown.

"Keep pumping the acetaminophen and get another IV of antibiotics…"

The voices echoed in his head. Familiar faces swarmed around him but he couldn't bring himself to focus on any of them. They were all useless images that he wanted to speak to but couldn't manage the will power to think of the words.

"Laura, how is he?" Sam asked anxiously. She kept her eyes on Joey, as if taking her gaze off him might deter his recovery.

Laura didn't give an answer right away. She kept the stethoscope pressed to her cousin's chest, listening intently to his light heartbeat. It broke her inside to see him so ill. It was one thing to attend to patients, but a complete other when the patients were family. His dilated russet eyes dove into hers when she pulled away. A goofy smile curled his mouth. "You look really official," he chuckled. "Like Grey's Anatomy or something."

She ran a hand through his sweaty hair and gave him wink. "Thanks, I think," she said. "Joey, can you tell me how old you are?"

"Why are you asking him that?" Sam asked.

"I need to know if he's disoriented," she explained. "Joe?"

"I'm twenty-one," he slurred. "I'm going to be twenty-four in June."

"And where are you?"

"I'm in bed," Joey mumbled.

"Where's bed?"

"Right here," he replied.

"Is he going to be okay?" Piper asked her niece. She had been pacing nonstop in the room, flustered with worry. Phoebe and Melinda sat together while Leo leaned against the nearby wall.

Laura swallowed hard, trying to decide if it was in the best interest of the family to keep up their hope or to be honest. If she knew anything about the Halliwells of course it was that they liked to face things head on. Beating around the bush wouldn't do anyone any good. She sighed as she slung the stethoscope back around her neck.

"I don't know," she answered. Sam's lower lip quivered and Laura avoided her gaze. "The rest of the medical staff is stumped. They're thinking about quarantine. We have over twenty patients here with the same thing."

"What's going to happen to him?" Phoebe asked.

She was quiet. The answer was too harsh a reality to accept. Even Laura, who often times told families that their children or spouses or siblings had died, couldn't bear to tell her family the possibility.

"Laura?" Phoebe tried her daughter again.

"Franklin Donovan was the patient I treated this morning," she said. "His symptoms started with a fever. By the time he got to the hospital he was manic…"

"Where's he now?" Melinda asked.

"He's in a coma," Laura breathed uneasily. Sam gasped and turned away, a few silent tears breaking free from behind her eyes. Phoebe quickly comforted her niece while Leo ran a stressful hand down his face. Piper chewed on her lower lip. "Listen, we know it's demonic. And that means if we work quickly, we can find a cure. We can still figure this out."

Behind them the door was pushed open. They all turned to see James carefully enter, though he seemed remorseful for intruding. He gave a quiet and shy greeting to the family before glancing at Joey. "How is he?"

"His fever is at 105," Laura answered.

James swallowed hard, a frown pulling at his face. "Listen, I hate to take you away, but is there any chance I can talk to you?" he asked.

The family watched with intrigue and against better judgment Laura gave him a nod. The two stepped away to the corner of the exam room, out of ear shot from the group but still away from the chaos outside in the hall. "What is it?"

"Franklin Donovan just died," James whispered.

"Shit."

"I know you're not going to want to hear this Laura, but you need to at least get on an IV as quickly as possible. I'm worried about you," he said. "You've been exposed."

"Dr. Harris has been exposed."

"He has a fever of 103. And Vasquez just slipped into a coma. We have twenty-six confirmed cases in the hospital and more rolling in. The Chief of Staff is about to officially announce the quarantine," James told her. His cerulean eyes poured into hers with anxiety. "Laura, I'm scared for you. I can't lose you. Please, just listen to the doctors…"

"I'm not going to leave my family."

"But if you're sick . . ."

"I'm stuck here anyway, James. There's no cure. I'm no better off away from them right now. Not when they need me," Laura told him.

There was silence as they stared into one another's eyes. And suddenly Laura could imagine it all. The future of their relationship wrapped into one brashly summarized moment. For here was James, wanting nothing more than to support and protect her, but unaware that his actions were futile. Unaware that Laura was in danger and that his interference made things harder rather than easier. Unaware and unable to understand her world. It was the first time it had ever occurred to her that maybe it couldn't work. It made her stomach churn with nausea.

"Laura…" he started again.

Interrupting them was the door being pushed open. The man gave the pair a kind nod. "Dr. Clement, Dr. Halliwell," he greeted.

"Dr. Salt," Laura nodded. "Are you Joey's doctor?"

"Yes, that would be me. Is he a friend of yours?" Dr. Salt replied.

"He's my cousin," Laura answered.

"I didn't realize. Well, I'll be sure to take good care of him then," he said, coughing into his sleeve as he finished.

"You don't sound very good Max," James observed in concern.

"I feel fine, thank you Dr. Clement," Salt grumbled.

James rolled his eyes. "Doctors make the worst patients," he muttered, glancing between both Laura and Maxwell.

"I better go," Laura said.

"Wait . . ."

"James, you can't make me stay," she told him. After giving him a peck on the lips she swiftly exited the room, striding past Chris and her sisters who waited outside. They all followed after her.

"What's with the rush?" Lucy asked.

"I don't want James following," she said. "That and we don't have much time. This thing has officially become fatal."

* * *

"_We would like to reiterate, that no one is allowed to leave or enter the hospital. This is an epidemic and San Francisco Memorial will be under quarantine until further notice…"_

The announcement invoked pure panic. An uproar of noise filled the lobbies and hallways as people begged for more answers. Others instantly clamored for the exits, only to be held off by the blockade of police officers and security guards who were sure to keep anyone from escaping.

Wyatt would usually be concerned with helping or making sure no one was injured in the bedlam, but was instead entirely consumed with his recent altercation with Kate. It wasn't often that Wyatt was unsure of what to do. He was known for his cool demeanor and calm but confident way of choosing how to proceed. Now, however, he wrung his hands as he made his way through the maze of hallways.

He thought of orbing up and helping Kate, granted he didn't know if he would be able to help her any. In fact, his involvement could very well make the situation with the Elders even worse. He thought of telling his parents and aunt, but then realized that getting them involved would only cause them more stress. It was for that reason that he also neglected to tell Sam of her twin's predicament. So, as he did in most cases when he was unsure of what to do, Wyatt sought to consult Chris.

When he opened the door to Joey's room, he immediately regretted it. Rather than finding who he was looking for, he only found everyone he was trying to avoid. The doctor exiting the exam room bumped into him as he came through the doorway. "Sorry," Dr. Salt apologized.

"It's all right," Wyatt assured, far too distracted to care. He ignored the light sting that pricked his hand and waved Melinda toward him. "Can I talk to you?"

"Is everything all right Wyatt?" Piper asked him.

"Yeah, it's fine mom," he nodded. He nearly yanked his sister out the door when she was in reach and her eyes widened.

"You're already scaring me," Melinda said as the door shut behind them.

"Where's Chris?"

"He left with the girls to check the Book," she answered. "Why? What the hell is going on?"

Wyatt sighed. "I don't want to worry anyone, especially everyone in there…" he started. "But Kate was just taken away by the Elders."

"Taken away by the Elders?" Melinda gasped. "Why?"

"I can only guess," Wyatt shrugged. "Chris was the one who said they had already warned her. Maybe after today they decided to interfere."

"Oh God," she muttered. "What do you think they'll do?"

"They could strip her of her powers."

"Shouldn't someone be up there? What if she needs us?" Melinda said. "Maybe one of us could advocate for her."

Wyatt shook his head. "I don't know. That might only piss them off more," he replied. "That's why I was looking for Chris. He's in better contact with them than I am."

"Right but his hothead might not be what Kate needs right now…" she muttered. Her attention was soon stolen as she caught sight of a gurney being pushed down the hall. Wyatt followed her gaze in confusion, not realizing what was so absorbing until his sister nearly choked on her breath. "Jack?"

Melinda anxiously grabbed one of the nurses pushing the bed, forcing them to stop in the middle of the hall. "Ma'am he's infected," the nurse told her coldly.

"Melinda?" Jack spoke up.

"Jack, what happened?" she asked, taking a stand at his side.

"I don't know. I had a fever and then . . . I was here. What are you doing here? They're locking us down. It's all over the news," he said. Sweat beaded at his forehead and his cheeks were flushed of all color. Wyatt stood patiently behind Melinda, biting his lower lip as the time passed.

"Joey's sick too," she told him.

"Listen, we need to move him," the other nurse growled.

Melinda's mahogany eyes glistened with distress. She wanted to stay with Jack. Her heart yearned to be by his side and ensure that he would be okay. Because at this moment, she couldn't imagine anything happening to him. In this moment, she realized how deeply she cared. At the same token she couldn't imagine leaving her family. Not when they were like this. Not with her young cousin battling illness and her family in the middle of yet another crisis. It seemed to be an impossible choice.

Wyatt squeezed her shoulder. "Go with him," he told her.

Melinda glanced back in surprise, mouth slightly ajar as she tried to come up with something to say. "But . . ."

"Joey has all the people he needs with him right now," Wyatt encouraged her. "Let me worry about the other stuff."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," he smirked.

Wyatt watched with slight amusement as Melinda took his advice. She held Jack's hand as the gurney was pushed down the hall, still glancing back at her brother as if trying to assure herself that all was okay. It was slightly endearing to see his sister so dependent on his reassurance but as they disappeared around the corner, his moment of enjoyment was replaced by seriousness.

Before he could proceed, however, he ran a hand down his stiff neck, surprised to find it sticky with sweat. In fact, he realized he was stifling beneath his shirt. His collar felt as though it were choking him as he stood. Breaths became labored as his throat seemed to constrict itself. He tried to swallow but he soon realized his lymph nodes were swollen and painful.

He anxiously ran a hand through his hair, trying to ignore the fact that the voices were senseless and incomprehensible around him. Wyatt glanced around, unsure of how to proceed. He had to get back to the Manor. He clumsily turned around, running smack into a doctor.

"Sorry," he mumbled breathlessly.

"You're fine," Dr. James Clement assured. "I'm looking for Laura actually. Have you seen her?"

"Uh…yeah, I don't know," he mumbled in response. His head felt light and he squeezed his eyelids shut, desperate to make the dizzy feeling disappear.

James' cerulean eyes immediately filled with concern as he studied his girlfriend's cousin. "Wyatt, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," Wyatt nodded. Sweat now ran down his cheek all the way to his neck. "I just need . . . need to get home."

"No one can leave the hospital," James reminded him. He steadied Wyatt with a hand on his broad shoulder. "How about we get you checked out . . ."

Without any control, Wyatt lost his balance, nearly falling under his unsteady legs before James helped catch him. He did his best to focus on staying conscious, though the pale eggshell wall swirled and it felt as though the floor was rocking like ocean waves. "Nurse!" James shouted. "We need another gurney!"

* * *

_Just trying to keep this thing chugging along! Thanks for the reviews I've recieved so far :) I hate to do this, but I know there are a handful of you out there reading (or at least some of you are on alerts and such) and I would love to hear from you! Reviews really keep me going. I know I've been updating more often but feedback is still appreciated. Thanks!_


	19. Bloodline : Segment 4

The attic smelled of incense and burning herbs. Lila's eyes watered as she hovered above the bubbling pot, trying to ignore the stench that assaulted her senses. Surrounding her work space were at least a dozen vials, all filled with different potions; all failed cures. The notepad next to her was covered in her scribbled writing, many of the listed items crossed out.

"I'm almost out of thyme," she sighed as she tossed another handful of the ingredient into the pot.

"Mom always keeps extra in the kitchen," Chris replied. He stood at the Book, flipping the pages with his telekinesis and scanning them with little thought. He had nearly memorized the Book and didn't expect to find anything different, but continued to look anyway. Lucy worked closely next to the whitelighter, furiously writing on a notepad, muttering to herself as she went.

"How's it going Lou?" Laura asked from the couch.

She shook her head. "I don't know how many times I can keep re-wording the awakening spell," Lucy sighed.

"That's not going to solve the problem. It's just going to wake everyone from their comas," Chris said. "You know what happened with mom when aunt Phoebe and aunt Prue used it. The virus will still exist."

"Well, everything else we've tried hasn't worked," Lucy replied. "Tell me if you get any better ideas, whitelighter."

"I don't understand how mom and aunt Piper and aunt Paige always made it seem so easy," Lila groaned. She bitterly tossed aside the spoon she was stirring with and ran a hand through her long hair.

"I think we're coming at this from the wrong angle," Laura said from the couch. She held the small dart that had injected Joey between her thumb and pointer finger, studying it in intrigue.

"Well, you're the one whose been staring at that thing for the past twenty minutes, not helping anyone," Lila hissed.

"What do you want me to do Ly? You nearly bit my head off when I tried to help you," Laura growled.

"Because you don't know what the hell you're doing."

"Yeah and you're not very good at rhyming either," Lucy muttered.

"When am I ever going to do something right for you?" Laura shouted at Lila. She bolted up from her spot on the couch. "I'm making an effort to get control of my powers and what, you have nothing to say?"

"What do you want me to say? Good job Laura for finally taking responsibility for your abilities?"

"How about you just get off my case for two seconds you nag!"

"Okay, everyone stop!" Chris interrupted. "I know we're all scared and stressed. But if we keep arguing, we really are going to have to face the possibility that Joey could die. If that's not enough to motivate you, then I don't know what else could."

Lila was quiet and Laura slowly sat back down on the couch. "Is this going to happen every time we have to work together?" Lucy asked.

"Probably," Lila mumbled.

"Laura, you said you thought we were coming at this from the wrong angle," Chris said. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Well, for starters we're treating this entirely like a magical malady, when in reality it's a medical epidemic," Laura explained.

Lila scoffed. "You're seriously going to get back on your doctor kick?"

"This is science, Lila," Laura said calmly. "For instance, what do we know about what was in this dart? We can't exactly come up with an antidote until we know what we're fighting."

Chris nodded as he slowly stepped away from the Book. "This is good," he nodded.

"Please," Lila rolled her eyes.

"No, she's onto something," Chris said. "Keep going."

"Okay, so we've decided that it's primarily demon's blood," Laura said. She was working the problem out as she broke it down, slowly but surely thinking her way through it. She had made it through medical school after all. Surely a little magic and a little science could solve any problem. "We know that humans can't tolerate demonic blood."

"They can't tolerate a witch blood either," Lucy added, joining the conversation and setting aside her notepad.

"A witch can't tolerate a demon's blood, otherwise Elle wouldn't have gotten sick," Chris said.

"And your point is?" Lila asked.

"Okay, well, the reason that mortals can't tolerate magical blood is because they don't have the extra chromosome that witches have," Laura explained. "I think it's safe to say that a witch's genetic make-up can't tolerate a demon's blood either."

"So are you saying we need to give everyone the extra chromosome of a demon?" Lucy asked.

"No, that's far too complicated," Laura sighed.

"Okay, what eliminates a demon's blood?" Chris spoke up.

"Potions," Lila answered.

"But this is where we're wrong. If we use a potion to get rid of demon's blood, we end up eliminating the carrier too. We would kill those who are infected in the process," Laura said.

"No spell, no potion," Chris mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "This is like a bad riddle."

"Hold on a minute," Lucy cut in. "Laura, you said that the med student in the room with you who was bit got sick, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"And you got bit too," Lucy clarified.

"Yeah, but I feel fine," Laura said.

"Exactly," she said in excitement. "And why didn't you get sick?"

"Because she's a witch?" Lila asked.

"No, because Elle was a witch and she got sick," Chris said, eyes wide as the realization approached.

"It's because Laura is a Charmed One," Lucy said.

"Our blood is stronger than a demon's blood. It always has been," Laura nodded in realization.

"So the antidote is our blood? I thought mortals couldn't handle our blood though. They don't have the extra chromosome . . ."

"Our blood would cancel out the demonic blood. It would fight demons blood cells just like we fight actual demons," Laura explained. "In theory of course."

"It sounds crazy."

"It actually kind of makes sense," Chris said. "Listen, Laura, you're going to have to be the one to administer . . ."

He sighed as his phone rang. "It's mom," he mumbled. They tensed slightly. At this point any news was bad news. Chris swallowed hard as he answered. They waited patiently, only becoming concerned when he pulled the device from his ear. "Wyatt's sick."

* * *

As she stood beneath the blinding light, Kate could only shudder. She wasn't sure what she imagined it would be like. Granted, she never imagined she'd be there in the first place. She stood on the marble floor, surprised to find that the heavens could be so cold. It felt like a breeze wrapped itself around her form, the only thing to keep her company in the lonely process.

No one had told her why she was here. Thick clouds shrouded her view and when she tried to escape, she would only end up exactly where she started. They were making her wait. Probably something they were doing on purpose actually. Forcing her to confront the most terrifying part of the entire problem; herself.

The space burned her eyes in its whiteness. She squinted against the harsh hue, only adding to the extreme discomfort she already felt. The anticipation was nauseating. It was obvious that anything commencing here was bad. She got the feeling this was the place fellow whitelighters gravely referred to as "the chambers."

She was no longer drunk. It made everything worse. At least if she was drunk she wouldn't have to cope with the unappealing reality. "Is anyone here?" she asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. She paced around, arms folded across her chest, shoulders stiffened against the chill that followed her. "Why did you bring me here?"

Her footsteps were loud on the floor and she swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lump in her throat and the trembling that dominated her. She was alone and while in the past month she had only felt alienated, this was more alone than she could ever imagine. No one was coming to save her. Not her sister or brother. Not her aunts. Not her cousins. Certainly not her parents. She pushed them all away. The realization was heavy as she faced this unheard of and self-induced demon. Sobs were building in her chest but she continually forced them back down. No one was coming for her. She only had herself. Just like she had wanted. Only now did it seem like a painful solution.

"Anyone?" she called again. "What's the point of all this?"

She stopped moving and glanced around. With a bitter huff she slumped down to the floor, sitting to take the pressure off her legs. She hugged her knees to her chest, shivering for warmth. "Lets just get this over with!" she shouted to no one. "I know I messed up, okay?"

Her voice echoed through the chambers, pitiful and rough in her ears. She swallowed tears that threatened to come loose. "I'm sorry!" she said. "I'm sorry! I don't know . . . I don't know why I did that. I shouldn't have left Elle or any of the other charges!"

Kate pushed herself back up, standing now as she glared at the empty, white ceiling. "Do you hear me? I'm sorry! I know I was wrong! I've just been stressed. I just . . . I can't stop! Don't you understand? I can't stop seeing her! I should have saved her! And I have to live with that!"

A tear rolled from her eye and she hastily wiped it away, gritting her teeth in anger. She stomped a few paces and then turned again, her yells more desperate. "This is your fault! First you take my father from me! And now you take my mother! And you don't care! You don't care and you don't help and you don't see that I am dying inside! No one sees. No one realizes that I am in pain all the time! No one understands that even though I seem okay, I'm not! I can't do this anymore!"

The dam broke loose as she choked a sob out, still fighting the emotion that budded inside. She shook her head, as if shaking it would scare away her tears. "And now my baby brother is down there dying! And you won't help him either!" she screamed. Tears spilled down her cheeks and dripped down her chin. "Take them from me! You hear me? Go ahead and take them! I don't need them! Because there is nothing else you can take! That's why you called me up hear, isn't it? To punish me. To take away my powers!"

The room darkened, turning gray and rumbling slightly as though thunder would clash from the misty clouds at any moment. Kate didn't care. She continued whole-heartedly, lashing out with more sobs and shouts. "I don't want them! They didn't do anything for me! They couldn't save my mother! They couldn't save my father! They can't save my brother! So take them! Take them because they are useless! You can't hurt me anymore!"

"Katherine Pandora Mitchell," a deep voice boomed. She glanced around, sniffling as she sought out the source of the noise. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes bright red from her whimpering. She stiffened her upper lip, refusing to appear weak. Though broken, Kate was still strong. She wouldn't falter in front of the Elders.

In complete silence they all slid out of the mist. She wondered how long they had been there. Kate spun around, looking at all the faces. They glided toward her without a sound. It was a haunting quiet.

"What do you want?" she whispered.

"Kate, we warned you," Odin said. Though stern and stubborn in his ways, his eyes were filled with sadness.

"You put your charges in danger," Zola added.

"I didn't mean to," Kate said with a sniffle.

Sandra moved in closer. "We can't allow you to be a whitelighter any longer," she told her. "You're putting yourself and your charges in danger."

"I can change!" Kate insisted, shaking her head. "Listen, I know I just said that I didn't want my powers but that's a lie. I . . . I'm a good whitelighter."

"Kate, you have been given several chances."

"But this isn't fair!"

"This decision isn't permanent," Roland assured. "If you prove to us that you can earn your wings back, you may very well be made a whitelighter again."

Kate shook her head. "I need this. You can't take this from me right now."

"It's for your own good."

"I don't need you deciding that for me!" Kate yelled.

Sandra sighed. "It's obvious that you are suffering from more than just grief, Kate. You need to get help for yourself before you can expect to help anyone else."

"I don't need help," she said.

"Either way, we're clipping your wings," Odin told her.

"No!" she protested.

The Elders didn't pay any mind as they continued to come closer, not stopping until they surrounded her in a circle, hands clasped and eyes sad. Then with a haunting chant, they would rob her of one more birthright.

* * *

"Something's wrong," Sam muttered.

"What are you talking about, sweetie?" Phoebe asked her niece.

She shook her head, "I think its Kate."

It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel it too. Phoebe Halliwell was the most intuitive of the bunch and while her telepathic ties with Kate weren't near as strong as Sam's, she also sensed that something was not quite right. That meant that whatever Sam was feeling was exemplified and much more intense. But they couldn't worry about that now. Phoebe squeezed Sam's shoulder.

"I'm sure she's fine," she told her.

"We don't know that," Sam said. Her heart raced as she stood from her seat at Joey's bed side. "I haven't seen her since at least an hour ago."

Phoebe could feel the intense sentiment racing through her niece. It was heart wrenching to say the least. Sam was completely helpless. She was scared for her young brother. Scared to lose another family member. Paige's passing was still fresh and confronting death with Joey seemed surreal in its rapidity. Phoebe knew she was too scared to complain or even cry, for she was only hanging on by a thread of hope. And now as she felt shivers for her twin, now that the alerts went off in her head that her sister was in distress, she was near crumbling. Her family was about to fall apart as she knew it.

"What if she needs me?" Sam asked, her voice wavering slightly. She glanced down at a sleeping Joey and then to her aunt. She was at a loss. It was an impossible to choose one sibling over the other. She swallowed hard, her child-like eyes glassy with vulnerability. "Aunt Phoebe?"

Phoebe quickly took her niece's hand into her own and patted her on the back. "It's going to be okay," she whispered.

"No," Sam sniffled. "It's not . . ."

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Phoebe soothed, taking Sam into her arms and squeezing her close. The young woman rested her head on her aunt's shoulder, whimpering quietly as she melted into the embrace. She knew that she didn't need to explain anything further to Phoebe. It was one of the advantages of having an empath for an aunt.

"This isn't fair," Sam cried. "I can't lose anyone else."

Phoebe patted down her hair as she cupped the back of her head. "You won't," she assured. "We won't let that happen again."

"Promise?" she asked helplessly.

"Promise."

* * *

"This is ridiculous," Wyatt grumbled.

"I don't care if you think it's ridiculous, you're staying in bed," Piper told her eldest son. Chris sniggered behind his mother's back and Piper gave him a pointed warning glare.

"I feel fine," Wyatt continued. He leaned back on his pillows in frustration. Piper sat on the side of his bed as if ready to pounce in order to keep him in place.

"James said you almost fainted," Laura replied.

"Keyword, almost," he said.

"Listen, Wyatt, relax. It's not like you're missing anything," Leo assured his son.

"I could be more useful if you'd let me out of bed," Wyatt sighed in frustration.

"Useful how?" Piper asked. Wyatt chewed on his lower lip, unable to reveal his true worries. If anything he should be helping Kate, but now he was rendered ineffective. Still, he stood by guarding his cousin's secret. Piper studied him closely, knowing by just the slightest twitch of his jaw if he were hiding something. It had always been that way with her sons. "Wyatt?"

"It's nothing, mom," he told her.

"Wyatt…"

"He's just angry he can't be in the middle of this one," Chris covered. It was obvious – at least to him – that his brother's concerns were elsewhere. It wasn't like Wyatt to lose his cool or appear bothered, even in the most trying of situations. As far as anyone knew, the eldest Halliwell had the temperament of a monk and Chris quickly picked up on the shift in his brother's countenance. He watched him carefully, though did his best not to draw any unnecessary attention to the brewing problem.

Wyatt gave a shrug, trying to sell Chris' lie. Piper continued studying him. "I should go draw some blood," Laura broke the tension. She could sense Wyatt's discomfort and did her best to help.

She lured Piper's attention away if only for a moment. "Are you guys sure it's going to work?" she asked.

"Are we ever?" Lucy scoffed.

"Lucky for us, we have the perfect test subject," Lila said, giving Wyatt a playful nudge. He smirked, though his hazel eyes were still tortured with what he needed to reveal.

"All right, well, pray that this works," Laura told them. "If I'm not back in fifteen minutes assume the Chief of Staff finally got to me and put me on lockdown."

"Yeah, James came in and said they were looking for you," Leo warned.

"Great, if I still have a job after all this is over, I'll probably lose it," Laura sighed as she backed toward the door.

"Meet back when you're done. I want to be here when we test it," Chris told her. She gave him a salute before slipping out into the hall. Lucy cleared her throat.

"Well, I'm going to see Joey while we wait," she announced. "Aunt Piper, you should come with me."

There was a pause in the room. Wyatt eagerly nodded. "Yeah, mom, you should go check on Joey," he said.

"You really think you're going to get rid of me that easily?" Piper challenged.

"Yes," Chris nodded.

"He was asking for you," Lucy lied.

"He was?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. Piper glared at her sons who managed painfully innocent pretenses. She rolled her eyes as she stood up.

"I know you're up to something," Piper told them. She glanced at her husband. "Leo…"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it honey," her husband assured. "Go help Joey and Sam."

After giving one last suspicious glance, Piper followed Lucy out, leaving the hospital room with only four. It was completely silent and Lila chewed on her nail as they waited. Chris stared down at the floor, avoiding eye contact with his father who gave a long sigh.

"You guys are waiting for me to leave aren't you?" Leo asked. Wyatt, Chris, and Lila were quiet but met him with stares that answered with a resounding yes. "If you three do anything, your mother is going to kill me."

"That's why we're not going to do anything, dad," Wyatt said. "I just need to talk to Chris."

Leo gave a slow nod. "All right," he replied. "I'm going down to the cafeteria, and if you want to save us all from the wrath that is your mother, you'll be in bed when I get back."

"He'll be here," Chris assured.

The trio watched as Leo hesitantly departed. As soon as the door shut behind him, Wyatt gave a long sigh. "I thought they'd never leave," he moaned. "I love mom and dad, but this is driving me crazy."

"They're just worried," Lila replied.

Chris folded his arms across his chest, emerald eyes dark with seriousness. "What's going on Wyatt?"

His face fell slightly. It made Chris fill with more apprehension. It was difficult enough to see his brother weak. Never had Wyatt been so helpless. As he lay in the hospital bed, breathing tube beneath his nose, needles plugged into his arms, and sweat beaded at his brow, Chris struggled to hide his worry. More than anything he wished to be at his brother's side and insure he would be all right, but he knew a higher duty called. After all, that's what being a Halliwell meant. It's what Wyatt would want.

"Wyatt?"

"It's Kate," he said.

Lila's eyes widened. "Is she okay?"

"That's the problem, I don't know," Wyatt answered. He sighed. "We were talking in the hall when she was orbed away."

"Orbed away?" Chris repeated.

"By the Elders," Wyatt said.

"Why?" Lila asked.

"They're clipping her wings," Chris mumbled distantly. Wyatt nodded in agreement. "Shit."

"Glad we're on the same page," his brother replied, watching as Chris broke into nervous pacing. "I wasn't sure what to do. I thought going after her might make things worse and before I could tell anyone I got sick."

"I'm going up there," Chris said firmly.

"No," Lila cut in, grabbing him by the arm.

"What? She needs our help, Lila," Chris snapped.

"I'll go," she replied. "Listen, you need to stay down here anyway with Laura and Lucy and keep this virus under control. You're their whitelighter."

"And you're a third of the Power of Three," he countered.

"This doesn't need the power of three," Lila argued. "And aside from that, perhaps you yelling at the Elders and getting pissed like I know you will, won't help Kate."

Chris glared. "I'm not going to get pissed at the Elders."

"You're pissed right now!"

"I've been the one helping Kate!"

"And some job you've done!"

"Lila, I'm your whitelighter!"

"Too bad!"

"Okay, please stop!" Wyatt groaned. When they fell quiet he sighed. "It's like fighting fire with fire with you two. Too much alike for your own good."

Lila rolled her eyes and Chris only gritted his teeth. "I'm going," he said.

"No, Chris, Lila's right," Wyatt interrupted. "We need you here. Laura needs your guidance. Lila can handle Kate."

"But . . ."

"I'll take that as my cue to leave. Feel better Wyatt," Lila smiled before disappearing in a quick pink flash.

Chris scowled. "Thanks for the back up bro," he muttered bitterly.

"You and I both know where you're needed. Now revel in the fact that you're the one to come to my rescue," Wyatt encouraged.

"Well, now I might just reconsider that antidote," Chris said cynically.

"Funny. Now get out of here before mom straps us both down."

* * *

"You should be with your family."

"Trust me, there are enough of them to keep each other company," Melinda said. The hospital room was quiet and surprisingly peaceful despite the dreariness of illness that surrounded it. "I'm more worried about you anyway. I'm not going to leave you here alone."

"I'm okay, Mel," Jack assured, though his voice was tired and rough. In the last hour much of the color had drained from his face. Unlike most others infected, however, his fever was for the most part under control. The monitors next to him beeped with a slow rhythm and he remained content as he held onto Melinda's hand.

"I still think I should call your mother," she told him.

"She doesn't need to be worrying about me. It's bad enough you are," he replied. "It's not even that serious."

"It's an epidemic, Jack. One without a cure," Melinda replied. Her heart sank as she said the words. The reality was harsh and in actuality rather terrifying. Her cousin, brother, and boyfriend were all flirting with death and she wasn't finding herself too comfortable with the notion.

Jack frowned as tears built behind her eyes. She wouldn't allow them to be visible, but he was still aware. Despite their short dating record he was already beginning to know her better than she knew herself. "Everything is going to be okay," he said. "Joey, Wyatt, and me. We're all going to be fine."

"You don't know that," she shook her head. "I may be idealistic but I've been around long enough to know that not everything works out."

"Don't talk like that," Jack told her gently. He squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere. Not when I have you."

She rolled her eyes and he smiled. "Come on, I'm serious," he laughed. "After they let me out of here, we're going to pick up right where we left off."

Melinda smirked and sniffled, trying to avoid the sentiment. Instead it rattled off uncontrollably. "I'm just scared," she whispered.

"I know," Jack nodded, swallowing down hard.

"I…I didn't realize how much I cared, Jack," Melinda confessed softly. Though sensitive, Melinda was rarely vulnerable; at least with anyone outside the family. It made the moment all the more meaningful and terrifying. "Now that I could lose you though, I know that I can't imagine not having you. And I know we've been moving fast but I…I really care Jack. And I haven't felt this way before."

His cyan eyes glimmered with equal sympathy. "I feel the same way," Jack said. "But we're going to have plenty of time for all this okay? I'm not dying and I'm not going to take advantage of you because you're vulnerable right now. I don't want you to regret saying anything once I'm all better. That's not fair to you."

Melinda chuckled. "What? You think I confess my love to sick boyfriends and then bail?"

"Well, I don't know Ms. Halliwell, I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?" he teased.

The door was rudely pushed open behind the pair, instantly bringing their conversation to a halt. Both looked to see the visitor, faces staid and grim. "Jack…" Dr. Salt greeted. He slowly glided across the room, dark eyes shining with amusement as he studied the patient.

"Dr. Salt," Jack nodded back coldly.

"And you are?" Dr. Salt asked Melinda who had slowly risen from her stool at Jack's bedside.

"Melinda Halliwell," she answered.

"Ah, another Halliwell. You all are just swarming around this place, aren't you?" Dr. Salt smirked. He studied his clipboard and flipped through a few pages.

"Is he going to be all right?" Melinda asked.

"We'll see," Dr. Salt answered.

Jack swallowed hard. "Melinda, you should go check on your brother," he suggested.

Melinda shook her head. "No, I want to hear what the doctor has to say."

"He has to examine me anyway," Jack replied. "Go check on Wyatt and Joey. I'm not the only one who needs you."

She glanced between Jack and Dr. Salt, uncertain about how to proceed. She didn't trust the doctor, she knew that much. He was suspicious and his intentions seemed twisted. And yet she couldn't quite put her finger on what exactly he was plotting about. "I'll be back," she finally decided, giving Jack's hand one last final squeeze. She kept an intense stare trained on Dr. Salt until departing.

When the door eased shut Jack's glare narrowed. "What the hell was that Max?" he hissed.

"That's your little project, huh?" Salt asked. "She's charming."

"It's none of your business," Jack replied.

Salt shrugged. "Just saying you have good taste. Granted, I have to admit after seeing them today, all the Halliwell women are rather dashing."

"I hate to interrupt, but I was hoping you could actually tell me whether or not I am dying," he told him.

"Dying, no," Salt replied. "Of course, you are sick. It's confusing to me actually. I didn't think your human half would react so violently to the virus."

"I didn't think I would actually get the virus," Jack snapped. "Last I heard that wasn't part of the plan."

"In case you haven't noticed, Malum doesn't really follow plan," Salt said with a sigh. "He's far too impulsive."

"Well, it's not the first time he's tried to kill me, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised," he mumbled.

"I'm sure it was an accident."

"When does he ever do anything by accident? Speaking of which, you don't look too good yourself Max."

"Oh, well he infected me too but that's not my real concern," Salt said. "Your mother is about to kill Malum."

"Don't get my hopes up."

"You know Aliah has a temper. She's going to thwart his entire plan."

"And I could care less," Jack sighed.

"If you're smart you would care," Salt replied. "Malum has been doubting your commitment. And if you're serious with this girl . . ."

"Max…"

"I'm just trying to look out for you," Salt told him. "I don't know why, but I am."

"Because we're the same Max. We were made evil; that's not really us though, is it?"

Dr. Salt's mouth twitched slightly and he quickly darted his gaze away from Jack's. "If you don't pull things together soon, he's going to kill you."

"Max, I didn't mean . . ."

"He has others. He has many others already in on the job and willing to do it."

"Then why doesn't he have them do it?" Jack hissed, no longer holding pity for his friend.

"Because none are near as powerful as you," Salt answered. "Not even him."

Jack was quiet as the doctor scribbled a few things down on his clipboard. "Max, this isn't you. You don't want to be this person . . ."

"I believe we'll get an antidote soon," Salt replied. "I'll be sure to get it to you once it's made available."

Maxwell Salt said nothing else as he left the room. Jack squeezed his eyes shut and sighed, wondering perhaps if death would be an easier escape than what awaited him.

* * *

It wasn't often that Chris didn't get his way, especially when it came to magical strategy and family dynamics. Of course, as he bitterly walked through the hospital corridors, he hated to admit that Wyatt and Lila were right. The virus was his primary responsibility now. Things were getting much worse than he thought they would. Perhaps being in the middle of it stopped him from realizing how serious the entire ordeal was becoming. He paused momentarily in one of the crowded hospital lobbies and stared up at the television screen.

"_Three hospitals in the Bay Area have shut down. Already there are ninety confirmed cases of the unknown virus. The Surgeon General of the United States believes it to be a mutated version of the flu. Fourteen people have died and other hospitals have not yet disclosed their casualties. As for now, the three hospitals are quarantined and panic is sweeping throughout the surrounding California townships. Masks, much like the one I am holding right now, are being distributed and worn by people who are in fear of catching this fast moving and deadly epidemic . . ."_

Chris swallowed hard, running a hand through his already disheveled brown hair. The pressure mounted heavier now. If their antidote didn't work, they were back at square one. Only they would have less time and fewer options. And if they did find the antidote…well, Chris hadn't though that far. Explaining exactly how the antidote came about would be an entirely new obstacle. Surely, the entire scientific and medical community would be compelled to study the Halliwell's blood leading to only further problems.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the panic that threatened to eat him alive. He scanned the lobby, watching people desperately make themselves comfortable in the cramped space. Others lingered by the front desk and exits, where officers from the San Francisco Police Department struggled to keep people inside. For a moment he felt lucky; at least he could get out. Granted, escape wouldn't do him any good now.

Before continuing on his route to find Laura, Chris' attention was soon caught by a familiar face. Sitting in one of the lobby chairs near the entrance, gun and badge at her belt, was none other than Detective Bianca Lawrence. He could have guessed that he would find her there. And while he thought better than to approach he went anyway; just as he always did when it came to her.

"Bianca?" he said.

His eyes widened slightly as she looked up. Her brown gaze was glassy with a deep daze and she wavered in her chair. "Chris?" she mumbled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. Of course, I guess I should have expected you to be here," Bianca coughed.

"Are you sick?"

"No, I'm guarding the door. We're short on officers today so they brought in a few of us detectives to do scrub work," she answered. "I just . . . needed to sit for a minute."

"You look terrible," Chris told her.

"Is that what you tell a girl you kiss on New Year's and never talk to again?" Bianca asked hoarsely.

"You're the one who kissed me, number one. And number two; you're also the one who doesn't want to talk to me. Oh and just to add another one to the list, you've been hounding my family with this investigation of yours for the past three weeks," Chris ranted. "Speaking of which, my mother was there this morning, and I hope you treated her with the upmost respect, because if I hear anything differently . . ."

"Okay, stop talking, my head is about to explode," Bianca mumbled. She stared up at Chris in confusion, struggling to stay upright in her chair. "I'm seeing two of you…"

Chris quickly knelt down in front of her, steadying her in the chair. "All right, hold on," he said as he pressed a hand to her forehead. "You're burning up. Can we get a doctor?"

"Two of you . . . what a nightmare," Bianca chuckled unintelligibly.

"We need a gurney! She's sick!" Chris called over to a nearby nurse and orderly.

"I shouldn't have kissed you," she sighed. "But I just couldn't help it. You're-you're so damn cute . . ."

"Cute? Thanks," Chris grumbled. "Listen, you're going to be fine."

"No…no…they told me not to do this. And I always listened," Bianca slurred. Chris' brow furrowed as a wheelchair was pushed over.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The assignment," she coughed. "Assignment . . . it's dumb. I just thought it'd be easier than this . . ."

The orderly carefully grabbed one of Bianca's arms and Chris helped, easing her into the wheelchair. She held onto his hand as she was rolled away, fighting to stay conscious. He carefully followed.

"Bianca, I think you just need to get some medicine and rest and you're going to feel fine, all right?"

"I didn't mean to like you . . . the Phoenix . . . we don't do this . . ." she said. "Phoenix . . . it's why I was asked . . ."

"Sorry, sir, you're not allowed back here," the nurse told Chris, stopping him from following the wheelchair any further. He complied, though his gaze stayed locked ahead, desperate to hear more of what Bianca had to say. Desperate to see her one more time.

* * *

Lila wandered aimlessly through the endless hall, peeking around corners and into rooms with frustration. Magic School was nothing more than abandoned at this point and her steps echoed loudly off the porcelain walls. Any longer and she was about to give up on her mission to find Kate. With her cousin not in the heavens and everyone refusing to give her any information, Lila decided that perhaps Kate had been left at Magic School. Unfortunately her theory was hitting a dead end.

"Lila . . ."

She spun around, expecting to find whoever called her to be at her backside. There was nothing and she quickly turned back, only to jump when she came face to face with an Elder.

"Kate's not here," Sandra said.

"Who are you?" Lila asked.

"Sandra, I'm an Elder," she answered calmly. Her white robes slid along the floor as she slowly glided toward Lila. "And you are Lila Patience Halliwell. Part of the new Charmed Ones."

"Yeah," Lila nodded. "Sorry, I guess I don't know the protocol with the Elder thing."

"It's all right," Sandra replied. She smirked. "You remind us all very much of your mother."

Lila swallowed, trying to remain unfazed by the awkward comment. "Us?"

"The other Elders."

"Ah," Lila nodded. "I forgot, you guys watch us . . . a lot."

"We try to give you some privacy," Sandra said. "We have many things to keep an eye on anyway."

"Still creepy…" Lila whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing," she answered. "Listen, I'm looking for Kate. You said she's not here?"

"No. She already met with the Council," Sandra said regretfully.

Lila took a slow breath. "You'll have to excuse me for being so forward, but is it true you clipped her wings?"

"I don't usually believe in disclosing information such as this or getting involved in family matters, but I think in this case I must make an exception," Sandra started. "We did clip Kate's wings. Her whitelighter powers have been stripped and she will no longer have charges."

Lila bowed her head and Sandra carefully continued. "I think it's important that you know she's in trouble," she said. "And not magically but . . . Kate's travelling down a troubling path and quickly. She needs help now before its too late."

"You're talking about her drinking, aren't you?" Lila asked. Sandra gave a sad nod.

"She's in terrible pain. That much is obvious. But to avoid it, she's been destroying herself," she told her. "As Elders we obviously cannot interfere in human affairs such as this. But I think it's important that your family has this information so that they may proceed in her best interest."

"I think we knew it was coming to this," Lila murmured. "But taking her powers; you're just giving her more reason to fall further into madness."

"It's for her own good. If she has powers at the rate she's going she'll only hurt herself. Maybe even get herself killed," Sandra replied. "I know it sounds harsh but we had to do it. Besides, if she can get this straightened out, I'm a strong advocate of her getting her powers back."

"Thank you," Lila nodded.

"As antagonistic as we may be to your family at times Lila, we really do care for you all. We want you to succeed," Sandra said.

"I should find Kate," she replied gently.

"Yes, you should."

* * *

Her hands trembled as she prepared the needle. It wasn't the first time she had drawn blood. In fact, she did it on a daily basis. But for whatever reason, as Laura prepared to take the sample from her veins, her heart palpitated with uneasiness. Every few seconds she would glance over her shoulder, half expecting to find a nurse or doctor who would surely ask what she was doing.

So much rested on her success. Perhaps that's why she was nearly hyperventilating as she sterilized the needle. There was an empty vial next to her and the exam room was silent as she tied a tourniquet just above her elbow. A few loose pieces of hair fell into her line of vision and the neckline of her scrub top was damp with perspiration. She chewed on her lip in concentration.

And then the door flew open behind her.

She instantly jumped, the needle fumbling out of her grasp. Laura scrambled to hide her business before realizing the intruder was in on the plan. "You need to hurry," Lucy told her sister.

Laura gritted her teeth together as she snatched the needle back up. "I'm trying to," she said. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Joey's in a coma," Lucy blurted out. It was only then that Laura truly saw her sister's face. It was tear streaked and helpless. Usually Lucy was scrappy and unafraid. Her current demeanor was a rarity and only made Laura sink with further terror.

"Is it serious?" she choked.

"It's a coma," Lucy said blankly. At least some of her cynicism remained.

Laura shook her head frantically. "Okay, okay, just uh . . . can you help me with this?" she asked.

"Sure, what do you need me to do?" Lucy replied, quickly stepping forward to assist her sister. The two worked anxiously to prepare a vial of blood, all the while keeping a paranoid eye out for anyone who could possibly barge in.

Of course, most of their enemies didn't barge in.

They simply appeared.

Laura nearly jumped off the stool and if it weren't for the needle in her arm, she would have surely jerked away. Lucy's brow twisted in question. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's here," Laura answered.

Almost simultaneously three demons shimmered into the exam room. One quickly grabbed Lucy, tossing her away from her sister's side. The second demon took little time to strike, and Laura ducked under his flying fist not a second too soon, falling off her stool and hissing as the needle ripped from her arm.

Lucy flipped up to her feet, swiftly avoiding a demon's kick before punching him square in the jaw. A second came rushing toward her, knife in hand. Lucy levitated above his blow and punted him in the chest, sending him flying across the room and crashing into a cabinet of medical supplies.

As she dropped back down to the floor, she was quickly overcome by a sharp pain as the demon she punched earlier stabbed her leg with a needle. Blood quickly oozed from the small wound as he pulled on the syringe and she smacked him with her free foot to shake him loose. He yelped in pain, but shimmered out with the sample of blood before Lucy could continue with her assault on the interloper.

Nearby Laura struggled with her own demon. He easily shoved into the empty gurney nearby. She groaned as she tripped up to her feet, glancing up in time to see him snatch up the vial of blood she had just filled. Her mouth dropped in slight confusion, eyes wide as he shimmered out of sight.

"Laura!"

Even without Lucy's warning she sensed the third demon behind her and quickly turned on a heel, exploding the enemy with an efficient flick of her hands. With the room empty, the sisters gave slow exhales.

"I see you've made improvement," Lucy complimented her sister.

"They weren't trying to kill us," Laura said slowly as she caught her breath. "They were trying to get our blood."

"Yeah, that was new," Lucy replied.

Behind them the door squealed open. "Is everything okay?" Chris asked, carefully weaseling inside.

"You're a little late for the demon attack," Lucy answered.

"I think they know about the antidote. They took samples of our blood," Laura told him.

"If they knew about the antidote they would kill us, wouldn't they?" Lucy asked. "If we're the only way to cure people, why would they keep us alive?"

"That doesn't matter now. Joey's gotten worse. We need to test this and quickly," Chris said gravely. "We're running out of time."

"I'll draw another sample," Laura replied.

"And I'll call Lila," he added. "Now that we have demons joining the fun, I think she should be here."

* * *

Lila found Kate at home. Well, technically it was Kate's home first. Despite the sisters moving into the residence, it would always rightly be the Mitchell's domain. In a way it made Lila feel like an imposter, especially now as she entered, her boxes still stacked in the corner and items from the move strewn about. Seeing her childhood home transformed and her memories replaced probably wasn't helping anything for Kate.

It was dark inside. The sun had set an hour ago and a gray hue encompassed the space as Lila shuffled about. She flipped on lights as she went, only to discover each time a room was illuminated that her cousin was not there. "Kate?" she called. "Kate, it's Lila; are you home?"

Though there was no answer, a subtle rustling in the kitchen was enough to captivate Lila's attention. Void of all hesitation she strode for the nearly empty room. Aside from a few boxes on the tables, much of the kitchen had yet to be put to use. As Lila rounded the corner into the area, she could spot nothing but the wide island in the center of the room. "Kate?"

Her steps halted when the aim of her search came into view. Seated on the floor, crammed and hidden between the island and the counter was none other than Kate. She hardly glanced up to meet her cousin's eyes, far more entertained by the streaks along the wood floor. "What do you want?" she mumbled.

"I've been looking all over for you," Lila answered as she sat down on the ground next to her. Almost instantly she realized how strongly her cousin reeked of booze and spotted the glass bottle that Kate secured in an iron grip. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" she scoffed.

Lila ran a hand through her hair. "You want to talk about what happened?"

"No," Kate replied. "Is Joey dead? Is that why you're here?"

"No," Lila said frantically. Her gaze widened at the inquiry but she quickly recovered. "He's going to be okay, Katie."

"That's just something we tell ourselves," she chuckled. The laugh was bitter and disturbing. She carelessly brought the bottle back to her lips, taking a long chug of bourbon. Lila watched on dumbfounded as Kate continued. "When has anything ever really been okay?"

"I know things seem bad right now . . ."

"No, Ly, things don't just "seem" bad right now! They are!" Kate shouted. Her voice boomed in the vacant house and rang through Lila's ears. She jumped at her cousin's sudden outburst, heart racing from the short-lived fright. "I can't take it anymore."

Lila breathed slowly, trying to rationalize how to best articulate her thoughts. In truth, there was nothing she could say to soothe Kate. So much of what her cousin said was right. "Let us help you," she tried.

"It's too late for that."

"No it's not."

"They already took my powers!" Kate yelled. Tears broke free from her eyes. "They took my parents, my charges, my abilities, and my dignity. Tell me Lila, what else is there?"

"A family full of people that love you," Lila replied. "A family that wants to help you."

"Maybe I don't want help."

"We're not going to stand by while you do this to yourself, Kate," Lila finally snapped. "We've ignored it long enough and now it's obvious that you're not just grieving anymore; you're destroying yourself."

"Don't be so dramatic," she growled. Lila's dark eyes went wild as Kate jerked up the bottle of liquor for another swig. She quickly snatched it from her cousin's mouth. "Let go!"

"You've had enough!"

"Oh yeah?" Kate challenged. "I'm an adult. I'll tell you when I've had enough."

Lila gave up as Kate yanked the bottle back. Silence fell between them and a frown pulled down Lila's face. She studied her cousin. Studied Kate's frazzled hazel locks and empty russet eyes. This was not the Kate she knew. This wasn't the strong, confident, and independent Kate. Surely it wasn't the cousin she had relied on, looked up to, and fought side by side with. For many years Kate had been the one Lila consulted on a daily basis about demons and charges. The two girls were dedicated to the craft and spent plenty of time together plotting, scrying, and strategizing. Lila respected Kate. While she admired Chris for his knowledge and passion in demon fighting, she saw Kate as her partner. Her equal and confidant. But now that witch, that cousin, that friend, was gone.

Unfortunately she didn't know how to get that person back. Not now with the alcohol as her lifeblood.

"Think about Joey. Think about Sam. They need you right now," Lila said.

"Don't manipulate me with them."

"Don't pretend that you're not choosing to drink rather than be at the hospital."

"Oh don't lecture me, Lila," Kate growled. "Don't talk to me about being a good sister."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You think I'm abandoning them and being insensitive, but what about you?"

"You're not making any sense."

"And you're a hypocrite. What about you and Laura? You can't stand her. You belittle her every chance you get. You were pissed at her when your parents divorced. You were pissed at her for giving up her powers. And even though she chose to become a Charmed One, you still always find a reason to put her down and to argue with her," Kate ranted. "So don't talk to me about being a good sister!"

"I don't know where this is coming from!" Lila shouted. "We're talking about you Kate!"

"Well, you should know I'm not the only one with things to work on, Lila!"

"This isn't about me!" she argued. The spunk was back in her eyes, replacing the gentle sympathy she arrived with. She quickly lunged for her cousin. "Now give me that bottle."

"No!"

"Give me the bottle!"

"Stay away from me!" Kate growled, crawling away. Lila clamored after her, still reaching for her cousin.

"Give me the fucking bottle!"

"Fuck you!"

If anyone walked in on the two squabbling cousins, it would be hard to detect that the two women crawling on the kitchen floor with a bottle of bourbon between them were actually weighted with emotion and angst. Their elementary fight was perhaps demeaning but neither seemed to care. It was how Halliwells did things; unconventionally.

"What are you going to do? Orb away!" Lila shouted as she nearly climbed on top of Kate to swipe the liquor away.

"They didn't take away my power to kick your ass!" she retorted.

Before Lila could continue to chase her cousin around the kitchen island, the abrupt ring of her phone broke through the entertaining yet grim spar. She huffed as she pulled the device from her pocket, flipping it open with a glare. "What?"

"_It's Chris. Get your ass back to the hospital."_

"Um, I'm kind of in the middle of something, and you could ask nicely," she replied.

"_I don't have time for this. We're about to test the antidote and your sisters were just attacked by demons. I'll say please when humanity isn't at risk."_

"Jerk," Lila muttered as he hung up on her. Kate watched, cocking an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem?"

"We're not done here," she replied. "This is a big deal Kate."

"Whatever."

"Try not to lose anything else while I'm away," Lila warned. "Like your sanity or self-respect for instance."

"You're a real bitch," Kate sighed.

"Well, you'll thank me later," she told her before evaporating in a pink flash

* * *

_All right so that was a kind of long chapter, but I had so much to fit in and so little I could really imagine taking out! I'm trying to weave some things together and wrap up others and keep everyone involved so things got a little long...It was so nice to see all the reviews for last chapter, so thank you so much! I hope to continue hearing from you and always love to know what you like and what you don't like or what you could do without! I'll try to finish up this episode next week sometime . . . oh and I've been updating the wiki for this story, so if you would like some more details or side notes on the characters, feel free to check out my homepage. That's about all for now. Thanks again and I hope to continue seeing your reviews :) ~ Sammy _


	20. End of Episode Four

"Joey needs it more."

Sam's cheeks were flushed. Tears had been streaming from her eyes so consistently that she hardly even noticed them now. And though it had been less than twenty-four hours, she looked as though she hadn't slept for days. It was amazing that one could seem so aged in such a short amount of time.

"I agree."

"I'm not arguing that he doesn't, but this is a matter of testing the antidote," Chris sighed. His fingers were laced atop his head as he paced in frustration.

"He doesn't have time," Sam told him.

"What difference does it make if it doesn't work and Joey tries it before I do?" Wyatt asked from his bed. He was propped up on pillows, still completely engaged in the conversation despite his progressing fever.

"He could die," Laura spoke up.

"It's Halliwell blood," Sam argued. "He's a Halliwell."

"It's a Charmed One's blood. And he doesn't have any powers. We don't know anything about Joey's genetic make-up. He may not be a carrier for the extra chromosome like the rest of us. We don't know if this will work on a mortal."

"He's already in a coma. Why risk something more?" Chris asked.

"We test it on Wyatt first. We see how he reacts and then we try Joey," Laura explained.

"And if he's dead before then?" Sam challenged.

"Don't talk like that," Melinda sighed from the end of Wyatt's bed where she sat, quietly fiddling with the zipper of her jacket.

"I'm being realistic. I'm glad you are all calm about this, like it's any other vanquish, but it's not. Joey is in a coma down the hall and he may not wake up," Sam said, voice cracking.

"We'll rush him the antidote as soon as we know it works, Sam. We want him back as much as you do," Lucy assured.

"Arguing about this is just wasting time," Chris added.

"Easy for you to say when it's not your brother," Sam snapped.

"My brother is sick!" Chris growled.

"Of course you want to get Wyatt the antidote first!" Sam raised her voice, though it wavered with sensitivity and emotion.

"Okay, let's not get personal with this," Laura said, stepping forward between her cousins.

"You can't just make decisions for everyone, Chris!" Sam continued. "You can't just do what's best for you!"

"I'm doing what's best for all of us!" Chris yelled. "If you weren't being so selfish, you would understand that!"

"Chris!" Melinda said, getting up from her spot, trying to aid Laura in dispersing the argument.

"Selfish? Of course I'm being selfish! Do you know how many family members I have left Chris?" she shouted. "And right now, you know what I see? I see Wyatt sitting up in bed and coherent while Joey is about to die!"

"We're all in the same boat, Sam! Joey isn't anymore special than Wyatt!" Chris told her.

"Both of you stop!" Laura ordered.

"Wyatt agrees with me! He said Joey should get it first," Sam said.

"Well, Wyatt, doesn't get a say in this one."

"Hey I do to!" Wyatt chirped.

Landing in the middle of the quarrel was a neon pink flash. Once the light settled, Lila appeared, arms folded across her chest. "So where's the demon?" she asked.

"Right next to you," Sam muttered, flicking a glare to Chris.

"Okay, let's take it down a notch," Lucy mused, joining in more closely. "As much as I enjoy observing our family feuds . . ."

"Wait, so are there really no demons?" Lila asked, still looking around Wyatt's hospital room in confusion. Chris was uninterested in addressing her query and instead turned away from the high strung group, doing his best to keep his temper in check. Sam peeled off in the opposite direction, flopping down into a chair by Wyatt's bedside. Melinda eased back down to her seat and Laura ran a hand across her sweaty brow. "Okay what did I miss? Why are we all in here not talking to each other?"

"It's not worth reliving," Melinda answered ruefully.

"Glad I came back to this then," Lila said. "Not like I wasn't in the middle of anything..."

"Did you find her?" Wyatt asked.

"Find who?" Sam piped up in confusion.

"Wyatt…" Chris hissed at his brother, scolding him with angry jade eyes. Wyatt threw hands over his own mouth as if he could keep the secrets sealed in.

"Yeah, I found her," Lila answered obliviously.

"Found who?" Sam demanded.

"Wait, was she okay?" Chris whispered.

"I actually think I screwed things up a little," Lila mumbled.

"Hey, I'm right here people," Sam said.

"So, uh, aren't we supposed to be testing that antidote?" Laura asked, nervously rubbing her hands together. She breathed uneasily as if a panic attack were about to bust through her at any moment.

"You're talking about Kate, aren't you? I knew something was wrong. I can't believe you wouldn't tell me!"

"Listen, Sam, she's fine, okay? I was just with her," Lila assured.

"Did they really take her powers?" Lucy asked.

"What do you mean take her powers?" Sam asked with wide eyes.

"Lucy!" Chris groaned.

"Okay, maybe we should deal with one family crisis at a time?" Melinda suggested.

Laura struggled to stay calm. The heat around her was unbearable. She was sweating through her scrubs and her neck was damp with perspiration. For the last hour her head had been pounding, though she quickly dismissed it as stress from the current dilemma. The aspirin she took was beginning to wear off and the aching of her temples and throbbing of her hand returned with vengeance. She sighed in frustration at the continual bickering, while nausea bubbled in her stomach.

"We need to wrap this up before one of the doctors comes back to check on me," Wyatt warned, though his cautioning went unnoticed. Chris, Sam, Lila, Melinda, and Lucy were too entrenched in their clandestine conversation of further family drama. He rolled his eyes and dropped his head back on the pillows. Though he would never admit how awful he felt, it was becoming harder to sustain his outlook for the family. The sickness was beginning to drain his energy. It was beginning to win.

It usually took something drastic to win a Halliwell's attention. With demons and warlocks and death threats and danger on a daily basis it was hard to garner any of their focus without vying for it.

In this case, a body on the floor was adequate.

The arguing stopped as soon as a thud sounded in the middle of the room. Simultaneously they turned, setting eyes on the source.

"Laura?" Melinda gasped, quickly swooping to a knee at her cousin's side. She was limp on the ground, completely out from a spell of fainting.

Chris kneeled to the floor as well, while the rest of the family swarmed about, peering down at an unconscious Laura. "Laura? Wake up," Chris said frantically.

"I don't know if she's breathing," Melinda observed.

"Go get some help," Sam told Lucy, nearly pushing the young Halliwell toward the door. Lucy stumbled into action, face blank in distress.

"Laura, can you hear me?" Chris continued. His ear hovered just a few inches above her face as he tried to listen for breaths that weren't coming. The rest of the family was quiet, holding their own breaths as they waited.

And trembling with apprehension, Lila took a step back.

* * *

Of all the frightening things they had seen, despite such a short lifespan, this was perhaps the most unnerving.

"Clear," the ominous voice demanded.

Even if there were appropriate words, Lila couldn't possibly utter them. She could only watch, face completely void of emotion. She was so busy trying to convince herself that it was all real, that she failed to convey how absolutely terrified she was.

The ring of the heart monitor was all she could focus on. The straight neon green line represented the end she wasn't prepared to face. It represented all she neglected to appreciate. It represented the life of a sister she was not quite ready to let go of.

"Still V-tach," a nurse advised.

Someone pounded on her chest, doing rapid CPR as the monitor continued with its drone. Lila watched the doctor, wondering exactly what she would do to him if he couldn't bring her sister back to life. Wondering what she was supposed to do when they gave up. Because she suddenly realized, she would only feel empty if it all ended here. She would be outraged, and distraught, and devastated. In fact, Lila couldn't even imagine how she could go on. Not with her gone.

"Clear," the doctor advised again, pressing the paddles to Laura's chest. The line continued to cut straight across the monitor.

Lila failed to realize her mother and sister were no longer by her side. They had been pushed outside the operating room, tears rampant down their faces. Now the two peered through the window, desperately gapping to watch as Laura was jolted and shocked.

"No, I'm staying here!"

The voice was male and defiant. He wore scrubs like the other doctors but for whatever reason they were pushing him out of the room. He tried to shove past his colleague but was restricted.

"James, we'll take care of her," a nurse assured him.

"Let me help," he begged hopelessly. Tears welled in his eyes. "I'm a doctor. Let me stay here."

"You're too close to this one," the nurse said. James bowed his head. "Go on, Dr. Clement."

"Clear!"

Lila was so busy watching the interaction with James and the nurse that she hardly realized she was being escorted out the door as well. "You're going to have to wait out here ma'am," she was told.

"But wait . . ." the doors swung closed on her face. Next to her James stared at the same barrier in defeat.

"Is she going to be okay?" Phoebe asked breathlessly. Her tired brown eyes were fraught. She was completely broken but somehow managed the words. She somehow managed to stay on her feet instead of collapsing in a flurry of sobs. She somehow managed to watch as her oldest daughter died on an operating table.

James opened his mouth but then closed it. He ran a hand across the top of his head and swallowed down a deep lump that was visible in his throat. "They're doing everything they can," he said. His voice cracked and Phoebe ran a comforting hand along his wide shoulders. If she weren't so dazed, Lila would have been amazed to find that even such a trying situation, her mother was the one comforting someone rather than the other way around. Not even the prospect of death seemed to pull the Halliwell down.

Lucy watched the scene intently, observing every movement of the medical personnel. Though her hazel eyes were full of tears, she kept a stiff upper lip. Her arms were folded across her chest. She stared through the window with quiet audacity as if she could face Laura's passing the same way she faced demons and enemies. Unfortunately, Lucy was finding out that not even she could fight every threat. Not everything could be fixed. They weren't invincible.

Lila silently stood next to her younger sister. She stared, watching as Laura was shocked again. Her sister's body was limp. In the operating room she was pale, quiet, and for lack of a better word, absent. She was lifeless. She was about to die. And Lila could only think about Kate.

The words haunted her now. Perhaps that's why she responded so bitterly when they were said; because they were true. It was an understatement to claim that her relationship with Laura was difficult. The two sisters fought and disagreed and hurt each other regularly. They were driven by separate values and opposite identities. They were worlds apart.

But they were still sisters.

And only now did Lila fully grasp what that meant. Only now that she was about to lose her sister, did she desperately want to find what she had lost. For far too long she had ridiculed Laura. She despised her sister for reasons that were artificial and unimportant; because in truth, there was certainly nothing more important than sisterhood. There was nothing more important than family. No matter how much they argued, they were apart of each other. And they loved each other. It's what Phoebe had tried to tell her daughters on Christmas. It's why Kate scolded her so harshly that evening. It's why Lila would never be able to live with herself if it all ended here.

"She's back," Lucy said quietly.

"Thank God," James sighed as he wiped free tears from his cheeks.

Phoebe continued to sob, this time in relief, pressing her forehead to the wall with a sigh. Lucy took a seat on the floor, dropping her forehead to her palms in an attempt to recover her former composure. Lila only continued to watch the heart monitor from the window as if pulling her eyes from it would jeopardize Laura's restored stability. Frantically wondering if her second chance would flee before she could make things right.

* * *

Coop Valentine had never been a fan of hospitals. The births of his three girls were about the only things that could drag him into the place. Well, and a few misguided attempts to connect with his oldest daughter. In fact, it was Laura, who again brought him charging down the halls, ignoring how much he loathed hospitals. They reeked of death and sadness and mourning; all contradictory to his Cupid nature. Now he feared those drab characteristics were about to pull him down.

Though they had been separated for over a decade, Coop was still drawn to Phoebe's call. His heart tugged with anxiety and in an instant he flashed to the crowded hospital. Despite their failed marriage, he would still stand by her side in an instant. Despite broken vows, they were still soul mates. It's why in light of the pain and messiness of their divorce, they kept coming back to each other. They needed each other. Perhaps it was difficult to see in the heat of argument, when they juggled careers and duties, but it was impossible to neglect the emotion that was there. The feelings were impossible to shake. And for that they would always come back, no matter how hard they fought it.

As soon as he entered the room, Phoebe felt like rushing into his arms and collapsing. She wanted to hide in his embrace and sob. She was vulnerable and weak and if anyone could make her strong again, she knew it was Coop. Instead, she stayed in her seat, watching with wet russet eyes as he joined them. Lucy instantly hugged him, and Coop kissed the top of her head, though his gaze remained locked on Phoebe's, filled with empathy. With a single glance they communicated the intensity of their pain and the softness of comfort.

"How bad is it?" Coop asked.

Despite all the people in the room, no one answered. Lucy pulled away from his embrace, though stayed close enough so his arm could remain draped over her slender shoulders. He waited with unease, knowing that silence was never a good sign. Not in such an opinionated and honest family. Silence meant there was something they didn't want to say and there seemed to be few things they held their tongues about.

"She's in a coma," Piper finally answered.

It was the first time since Coop arrived that he pulled his stare from Phoebe. The eyes of his former sister-in-law were grave. She was tired and somber as she sat, hands clasped together as her elbows rested on her knees.

"Joey too," Melinda mumbled. The young woman stood next to her father, who leaned against the wall in defeat. Leo gave Coop a grim smile, though it was hardly encouraging.

Chris walked the length of the unused room in frustration, unable to accept that they were facing failure. It wasn't just that his family members could die but his distress came from the fact that he couldn't fix them. He couldn't come up with the answer. Certainly, this couldn't happen. His first challenge as the Charmed Ones' whitelighter and he had blown it. The entire state of California was about to be infected with a demonic disease, a member of the Power of Three was about to die, and he had failed them all. More importantly he was failing his family.

"Is there something we can do?" Coop asked.

"We thought that the blood of a Charmed One could overpower the affects of the demonic toxin," Sam said.

"But with Laura sick, our theory is ruined," Chris grumbled. "I just don't know how we're supposed to figure this out. What other options are there?"

"We could track down who started the virus," Lucy suggested.

"Do we have anything to go off of?" Melinda asked.

"We could scry with the dart that got Joey," she shrugged.

Chris shook his head. "Even if we find who did it, we're not guaranteed an antidote. Aside from that, we waste time looking."

"Would you rather sit back and do nothing?" Sam asked.

"No, but that plan is a far cry from a solution," he replied.

"All right everyone take a breath before we make a debate out of this," Piper cut in tiredly. She squeezed the bridge of her nose in fatigue and stress but still spoke with authority. "So, we believe that we can't use potions or spells to cure this thing…"

"It doesn't make any sense to," Lucy said.

"But the Elders seemed sure that this takes the Power of Three," Phoebe spoke up.

"Even if it did, we're missing Laura," Chris muttered.

"Lila, you're quiet . . ." Leo observed from where he stood, eyeing his usually talkative and enthusiastic niece. She slowly looked up, meeting the faces of curious family members.

"I'm just thinking," she said gently.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to understand all this . . ." Coop started. "So you thought that Laura's blood would be a solution because she's a Charmed One?"

"Well, any of our blood. Lila or mine too," Lucy replied.

"She wasn't showing any signs of being sick even though she was exposed," Chris explained.

"Well, maybe you were right. Maybe she had some sort of immunity considering she was able to fight it off for so long," Leo suggested. Though it had been years since his whitelighter days, he still thought through many vanquishes and demonic maladies with the same mindset. Now that his son was taking his place as the new Charmed Ones whitelighter, Leo felt compelled to help when he could.

"It doesn't have to do with her being Charmed . . ." Lila mumbled. The family looked to her once more as she straightened up in her chair. "It's the Power of Three. She's only a third of it but to fully defeat any demon, we need all three of us."

Chris nodded. "So maybe the antidote is all three of your blood. Together . . ."

"That sounds medically hazardous," Lucy scoffed.

"Not when magic's involved."

"We test it," Piper decided. Phoebe nodded in agreement, though there was little hope in their words or faces. Without even a glance, they could feel what tormented the other. It was a difficult thing to accept. The power was no longer in their hands. Solving problems and facing demons was up to the new Charmed Ones. It was up to their children and in moments like this, it was becoming agonizing to take the step back into their new roles. No longer were they the heroes or protectors. They could only watch. And wait. And hope that perhaps the children they had raised and groomed were up to the tasks ahead.

"We'll give it to Laura first," Sam said.

Chris glanced over at his cousin and gave a grim smile. He gently nodded and she returned to the gesture. "I'll help Lila and Lucy draw some blood."

"And if it doesn't work?" Lucy murmured.

"Then we try again," Phoebe answered. She rose from her seat, emotional, fatigued, and helpless but all the while firm. Despite her age, she was still a Charmed One. And though she couldn't help fight demons any longer, she would at least show her successors, her daughters, what that meant. "But we don't give up."

* * *

It was a dark time.

For the Halliwells, death loomed often. It came in the form of fireballs and energy blasts, athames and arrows. It was amazing to consider that they could die at any moment, and not in the philosophical sense, but consistent with the fact that people were truly trying to kill them all the time. No one ever acknowledge it. No one considered how out of the ordinary it really was. Probably because if they acknowledge it, they wouldn't be able to live their lives. They wouldn't be able to do what they needed to. They would live in fear and agony.

A fear and agony similar to the one they now faced.

"How long do you think it will take until we know it works?" Lucy asked.

Phoebe gave her youngest a shrug. "We're just going to have to be patient," she answered. Coop was at her side, their fingers intertwined tightly as they held hands. He watched his eldest daughter with distraught russet eyes, frustrated in his inability to help. Fifteen minutes had passed, and while it wasn't necessarily long enough to admit failure, it was certainly becoming harder to wait.

Lucy stayed on her feet, moving around the room, unable to set her gaze on the unconscious Laura. A breathing mask was over her oldest sister's mouth and wires dangled from her wrist. The bags of fluid, the beeping machines, and hospital gown all made it too real. The only time she had really seen anyone in the hospital was when Lila had her tonsils removed. Watching Laura depend on a ventilator for air and sleep without any hint of waking, Lucy couldn't stand. She wouldn't accept it.

"Lots of people in comas can still hear people talking to them…" Phoebe mused. She sat at the end of the bed, a hand on Laura's limp foot. Coop rubbed her back as they kept vigil at their first daughter's side.

"I remember when she was born here," Coop said. He glanced to his other two daughters. "I guess I actually still remember when you all were born. It seems like yesterday."

"And then you all grew up, talked back, and developed these horrible things called personalities," Phoebe teased.

Lucy rolled her eyes and Lila, who sat quietly at her sister's bedside, could only bow her head. "You all always wanted to be so different from each other," Coop chuckled.

"Lila used to follow Laura wherever she went," Phoebe reminisced. "Do you remember that?"

Lila shook her head. "No."

"Yep…you were always trailing behind your big sister," she smiled. "She was the one who taught you how to teleport."

"She was?" Lila asked, rather surprised.

Coop nodded. "Yes and your mother and I had hell to pay for it," he said.

"I remember Laura taught me how to tie my shoes," Lucy spoke up. Her hazel eyes glistened with amusement. "If it wasn't for her I'd probably still be wearing Velcro."

"What are you talking about? You still don't wear any shoes with laces," Phoebe chuckled.

"I guess that's true," Lucy smirked. She looked to Lila. "When you two started going to school, I remember being so jealous. I always wanted to go with you. When Laura would do her homework, I would sit next to her and color and pretend I was doing it too."

Lila nodded. "I remember that."

"If you ever did your homework, I probably would have copied you too," Lucy teased.

Phoebe and Coop both gave gentle laughs and Lila managed a small smile. "She always wanted to be a doctor," Coop continued with the memories. "I think it started when she was about four years old. She would bandage up her dolls."

"She would practice on me and Lila too," Lucy added.

"And the dog," Phoebe smirked.

"Oh my God, Lucky," Lucy gasped. "I miss him."

"He was a terrible dog," Coop groaned.

"He was a great dog!" Lila put in.

"He ate all of my shoes," Coop reminded them. "And only mine, I might add."

"He just didn't like men," Phoebe winked.

"You girls begged and begged for a dog," he shook his head.

"And as usual you caved," his ex-wife chuckled. "The girls have always had you wrapped around their finger."

Coop sighed. "Yes, that's probably true. All four of you," he smiled.

There was a pause as everyone quietly savored the memories. Then slowly, as the amusement faded and the sadness set in again, the room became heavy. They went back to their positions, watching Laura in helplessness. She seemed peaceful enough. Though pale and motionless, there was something comforting in knowing she was there.

"I know things have been hard lately," Phoebe whispered to her daughters. "I know you never expected to become the Power of Three. But I hope you both know how proud you've all made me."

"And me," Coop agreed gently.

"More than that, I hope you know how much your sister loves you both," she continued, voice wavering slightly. "I know sometimes you argue but Laura would do anything for you…"

Lucy bit on her lower lip and gave a slow nod. In the mean time, Lila nearly cringed at the words. Already Kate's accusations seared her brain and she struggled to keep herself from breaking. She kept her gaze on Laura, watching her older sister's chest rise and fall with each shallow breath. "She can hear us?" Lila asked distantly.

Phoebe frowned slightly, her face streaked with sympathy. "I'm sure she can, honey," she nodded.

Lila was silent for a moment. She stared at her sister, pondering the words and feelings that swirled inside her. It was impossible to avoid them. Regret pulsed through her. It would eat her alive if she didn't say it. Already the possibility of Laura never waking confronted her as a menace and she shuddered with guilt. "Please don't die, Laura," she pleaded, grabbing her lifeless hand. "Please wake up."

Coop, who observed with pain in his heart, moved to help but Phoebe silently stopped him, placing a gentle hand on his chest. As empaths, both knew what their daughter was feeling. As a father Coop wanted nothing more than to swoop in and comfort her, while Phoebe knew that it was something Lila had to face on her own.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Lila's eyes misted with tears. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you. I'm sorry, that I've been so hard on you and so . . . so unfair."

A tear escaped her and she sniffled, keeping her back aimed at the rest of her family while she studied Laura's face. Lucy stopped her moving about and watched, biting her thumb nail in order to ignore the sobs that swelled in her throat.

"I don't know how we got like this. I mean, I guess a lot of it's me," Lila continued hoarsely. "I just needed someone to be angry at, you know?"

Phoebe squeezed her eyes shut as tears rolled down her cheeks. Coop squeezed onto her hand, his own face shrouded with guilt. She leaned into him, opening her mouth as she breathed silently with each sob.

"When mom and dad separated, I took it out on you. I know we disagreed about what happened, but instead of letting you in, I pushed you away when I needed you most. I needed my big sister. I always have, even when I don't admit it. Even when I get so angry with you," Lila cried. "I've always looked up to you Laura. Sometimes I was even jealous of you. When you . . . when you went to college and became this . . . this brilliant doctor, I was envious and bitter. I was angry that dad offered you his ring first and that you refused it. I think part of me took it just in spite of you. But I hated that I was always second to you. And that wasn't your fault, even if I treated you like it was. You've done nothing but support me. And I . . . I've treated you poorly."

Lucy staggered forward and without a word placed a hand on Lila's shoulder, giving it a tender rub in comfort. She stayed there, quietly at her sisters' side, head bowed as she chewed her lip. Phoebe and Coop watched their girls from the end of the bed, huddled close together in parental sorrow and regret. Though their daughters were grown and independent, they were still a family. They were still parents and they still ached with each hardship of their children and felt the sting of every failure they had made in raising them.

"Please don't go, Laura," Lila whimpered. "Please give me a second chance. I need you. We need you. Not just for the Power of Three, but because I love you. Because you're my sister and I'm ready to be a family again."

There was so much to say.

But neither Phoebe nor Coop could manage the strength to say it. The cards were on the table. The troubles their family had kept quiet for so long were there, out in the open. No one ever talked about how devastating the divorce had truly been. No one spoke about the strained relationship the girls developed since then. No one confronted the things that hurt. But with Lila's honesty, it almost seemed that they didn't have to. Surely they had all already known. They just simply hadn't said it. At least until now.

"Lila . . ." Phoebe started.

Before she could continue, the heart monitor beeped loudly. The four snapped their heads in the direction of the screen, watching as a green line spiked to a tall peek. It wavered again before darting straight up.

"Should I get a doctor?" Coop asked.

Everything was white when Laura blinked open her eyes. She tensed slightly, unaware of where she was or how she had got there. There was something on her mouth and her arm felt irritated and constricted.

"Look," Lucy gasped from above.

She couldn't see her youngest sister but as she shifted her gaze around, soon spotted Lila hovering above her, seated at her bedside. Tears were in her eyes as she gave a heavy sigh in relief, hardly audible above the obnoxious ringing in her ears.

"Thank God," she sighed.

Laura pulled the device from her face, realizing that it was a breathing mask as she weakly dropped it to her chest. "What . . ." she croaked, surprised at the sound of her own voice.

No one answered, though her mother quickly appeared, attacking her with kisses to the forehead and cheek. Lucy came up behind, grinning widely. Coop stood behind Lila, placing hands on her shoulders and she twisted into his arms, burying herself in a hug.

"Was I sick?" Laura asked, trying her best to talk around her mother's affection.

"You were in a coma," Lucy answered. "And you scared the shit out of us."

"Sorry," she said tiredly. "What about Joey and Wyatt?"

"They'll be okay now that it seems we have an antidote," Phoebe replied, sitting on the edge of Laura's bed, hands still secured on the sides of her eldest's face. "We love you so much, you know that?"

Laura sighed, "Yes mom. I love you too."

"Good, now don't ever do that again." Phoebe ordered.

"Okay, okay," she chuckled. "You all look terrible. What time is it?"

"Three o'clock in the morning," Lila replied. "And you don't look like a ray of sunshine yourself."

"I don't feel like one either," Laura said. "Though I don't feel like I'm about to die anymore."

"That's a good sign."

"I'd say so," she smirked. "Now what are we doing? Don't we have an antidote to distribute? You know, saving humanity and all?"

"Well, Lila and I do, I don't know what _we_ you're talking about," Lucy told her. "You just stay here and eat some jell-o."

"And no more comas while we're away," Lila warned.

The two Charmed Ones departed in a sleep deprived shuffle, eyes red, and minds numb. It had been at least twenty-four hours since they last slept. Between the emotional stress and family drama and angst they were completely exhausted. But even in their tired strides, Lila and Lucy went with purpose and pride, for they had won. In spite of depleting all options and facing sure failure, they had found a way. And perhaps, though they had a long ways to go, they really could do it. They really could be Charmed.

"Can you believe we figured it out?" Lucy asked, chuckling to herself as they made their way down the hall. Laughing was about all she could do between her fatigue and satisfaction.

Lila shook her head. "I think it might take me a few days for it all to sink in."

"Yeah and a few weeks of sleep."

"Yeah, that too."

* * *

"See, this is what happens when you move out of the Manor."

"Aunt Piper . . ." Joey groaned with a smile.

"I can promise you, living with me will not always result in near fatality," Melinda told her cousin.

"No, but her cooking will," Piper whispered.

"Mom!"

"I'm just saying he's going to miss my cooking."

"I can cook."

"Defrosting is not cooking, Mel," Sam teased. She sat at her brother's bedside, eyes completely bloodshot, hair disheveled, and shoulders slumped in defeat. The sun had risen back over San Francisco and while the antidote was successfully being administered to those infected, most of the Halliwells still looked like the walking dead. Sam had been at her brother's side for the entirety of his long illness. Now she was in need of some bed rest herself.

"You know, it's not fair when I have two chefs to be compared to," Melinda said with a smile. Just as Sam was sleep deprived, Melinda wavered uneasily as she nursed a coffee.

"Speaking of chef how's Wyatt?" Joey asked. While everyone else was running on fumes, he remained rather chipper. Though the machines were still attached and the IV bags pumped into his veins, he looked far better than before, and sat up with vigor.

"Wyatt is great," Piper answered. "In fact, I don't know how much longer we're going to manage keeping him in bed."

"I still can't believe you guys were able to come up with an antidote," he sighed in amazement.

"Well, it was a little experience, a little magic, and a lot of luck," Piper smiled as she rose from her seat. She pressed a kiss to Joey's forehead and rubbed back some of his messy locks. "I'm going to go check on Wyatt. You get some rest, all right?"

"We'll make sure he does," Sam assured her aunt. Piper patted her on the head and gave her daughter a peck on the cheek before leaving. Melinda yawned, sinking down into her mother's chair and rubbing her eyes. Sam rested her head onto Joey's leg, using him as a makeshift pillow.

"So it was pretty bad, wasn't it?" Joey asked.

Melinda nodded. "Yeah, it was. A lot of people got sick," she said. "And we thought you were going to . . ."

He gave a quiet nod. "Well, I'm okay now," he said, patting Sam's head. "Right, sis?"

"Yeah," she said. "You scared me to death though."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Sam smirked. "I'm just going to never let you out of the house again."

"Now you sound like aunt Piper."

"Mel, how's Jack?" Sam asked her cousin.

"He's good," she answered. "He's resting now, but the doctor said he seems to be responding to the antidote well."

"Jack got sick too? As in Jack the cock block guy?" Joey asked.

Sam looked at him in confusion and Melinda rolled her eyes. "Yes, that Jack."

* * *

"Damn it Max!"

Malum's voice echoed loudly off the granite walls, violent and feral in its anger. He smashed a fist onto his sturdy desk, rattling things from their places. In his fury he swiped a few papers off the surface, allowing them to fly all about.

"That will certainly solve things…" murmured a cynical tone.

Malum's eyes darkened as he glared across the room. "You have something to say Jack?" he barked.

Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, Malum, I thought maybe you had something to say to me," he shrugged. "You know, considering you got me sick!"

"I didn't get you sick!" Malum growled.

"Bullshit!"

The Source angrily grabbed an empty glass from his desk and threw it against the nearby wall. It shattered into several pieces and clattered onto the ground. Dr. Salt, who stood near the wet bar in the corner only examined his cuticles at the ruckus. Jack rolled his eyes. "How many more times are you going to try to kill me?"

"How much longer is it going to take you to make a move on the Halliwells?" Malum challenged. He stepped closer to his step-son, a smile twisting his mouth. "I'm sick of waiting, Jack. You want to tell me what the hell you're doing up there?"

"Getting information. Just like you asked," he answered softly.

"Really, because it seems to me like you're just enjoying yourself up there. As if you forget that you have a purpose!"

Jack's previous confident seemed to fade. The fury once in his eyes was gone and he stared up at Malum with apprehension. He carefully cleared his throat, "You asked me to get close to the Halliwells and that's what I'm doing," Jack told him. "I don't need you questioning my methods."

"I'll question you all I like. Last I checked, I'm head of the Underworld, not you!" Malum shouted.

"Must we yell?" Salt murmured. Neither Jack nor Malum paid him any attention as their bickering continued.

"You wouldn't be head of the Underworld if you didn't have people like me doing all your dirty work for you," Jack challenged.

"Well, perhaps I should have someone else assigned to the task!"

"Fine. I never asked for it in the first place!" he replied.

Malum took a step closer, his face twisted with anger and malice. His fists were clenched as he stiffly stared down his partner. "If it wasn't for your mother, I'd most certainly kill you," he whispered coldly.

Jack, though intimidated, only tightened his wide shoulders, his firm jaw line hardening slightly. "If it wasn't for my mother, I'd kill you too," he managed through gritted teeth.

Malum grinned, giving a deep chuckle as he backed away. "You know what confuses me, Jack?" he asked, clapping his hands together. His tone changed. He was almost delighted as he paced in front of Jack. "That you've been up there nearly a year, writing for that stupid paper, seeing Paige's daughter everyday and you still haven't done a single fucking thing. I'm beginning to think you like this mortal life…is that so?"

He did his best to remain unfazed, though he felt like blushing with guilt. Jack swallowed hard. "I'm only doing what you asked of me."

"Perhaps you're distracted, Jack," Malum continued. He stopped his pacing and eyed his step-son mischievously. A glint of suspicion was set in his stare. "Tell me, what's distracting you? Or better yet, who?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Salt cut in. Jack breathed a subtle sigh in relief, slowly turning away from Malum. Salt gave him a knowing look as he continued. "But I need to be getting back to the hospital."

"I'm not finished with you, Salt," Malum told him.

"Well then, what could I possibly help you with?"

"How about you explain to me how this entire plan failed?" he asked bitterly.

"I wouldn't call it a complete failure. Many people died before they could get the antidote," Salt reasoned.

"No one was supposed to get the antidote except you and this dumb bastard!" Malum barked, pointing to Jack. "What the hell were you thinking? You went completely against the plan!"

"The Halliwells figured it out anyway, Malum!" Salt explained. "In case you forgot, Laura's a doctor too. She's smart, Malum. These girls aren't the same witches as their mothers."

"No, but they have the same weaknesses," he mumbled. "You should have let them provide the antidote and deal with the consequences of their own exposure!"

"I'm sorry but demonic strategy really isn't my specialty. By the time I came up with the antidote, the Charmed Ones had as well. I thought I might as well provide the cure myself and sever any links it had to you," Salt said. "It's been chemically disguised as an antibiotic, so you won't have to worry about mortals snooping around."

"I'm not worried about getting exposed. That's their problem."

"You said exposure of the Underworld makes attacking the Halliwells more difficult for us…."

"Oh shut up Jack," Malum snapped. He kicked one of the chairs in front of his desk down. "We just wasted a month of planning and have nothing to show for it!"

"You'll just have to come up with another plan," Salt mumbled.

"A better one…" Jack scoffed.

Malum's stare narrowed with rage. He took no time, swiftly shoving Jack into the nearby wall and yanking up a fistful of the man's shirt. "You're a useless little bastard and a sorry excuse for a demon," he hissed. He smacked a tight fist across his cheek. As Jack recovered, Malum spit in his face, still keeping him pinned to the granite with an arm. "You make a move, you understand? I'm done waiting. You make a move on the Halliwells or I'll make a move on you. And I can guarantee it won't be pleasant. Your mother can't save you any longer. You serve me, Jack. You better remember it."

* * *

Chris hadn't realized how truly stressed he was until it was all over. Now that the virus had been stopped, his family was healthy, and the threats settled, he could finally breathe. The pressure was lifted and he reveled in the small victory. The victory that today, evil hadn't won.

"You look like hell," Sam told her cousin as they approached from opposite ends of the hall, slowing as they neared each other.

"Thanks," Chris smirked. "You look a little rough yourself."

"Yeah, well, between Joey and Kate, I think I'm going prematurely gray," she said.

"They're lucky to have you worrying about them all the time," he told her. A slight frown pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Listen, I wanted to apologize about what happened with the antidote earlier . . ."

"Chris, don't," Sam cut him off. "We were all stressed and scared. And I was unfair to you."

"I was being a little bossy and cold," Chris admitted.

"I still love you," Sam assured. The two shared an embrace and he sighed in relief.

"I love you too," he told her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Kate."

"It's okay. I don't think I would've told me right away either," she said. She ran a stressful hand down her face. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"Nothing right now. We'll take it one step at a time. All of us, together," Chris told her, his green eyes shimmering with sympathy. "For now you go be with Joey. And get some sleep if you can."

"That's one order I can manage taking," Sam winked as she slowly continued down the hall. "I'll see you later."

"See you," he said. When she departed, he gave a long breath, eyes stuck on the door that awaited him. He ran a hand through his hair, silently scolding himself for once again going against his instinct. And then he opened the door.

"No way," a groggy voice chuckled. "Halliwell, are you really here to check up on me?"

"Something like that," Chris smiled as he eased next to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she answered.

"You were pretty sick."

"I don't remember much, but I remember you were there," Bianca said.

"Yes, we seem to keep finding each other," Chris nodded. He rubbed his hands together, shifting carefully on the stool. He decided it was best to dive in for the information he desired. "You were kind of delirious. You kept mumbling things about the assignment and the Phoenix . . ."

Bianca's mouth dropped slightly and a hot red blush colored her neck. Chris watched in intrigue as her dark eyes widened. Never before had he frazzled her. But now she seemed completely flustered. His heart raced with suspicion. "It was nothing," she finally said. "I…I don't know what I was talking about. I must have just been so feverish . . ."

"Yeah, probably," Chris agreed distantly.

"I probably meant my assignment at the precinct," Bianca insisted.

"Of course," he replied.

"It's pretty nice of you to check on me," she said. Their eyes locked and Chris' dimples quirked slightly.

"I was worried about you," he said. His smile broadened. "And besides, you kept going on and on about how I was the best kisser you've ever been with."

Bianca grinned and rolled her eyes. "I was definitely delirious."

"I don't know, detective. We may just have to test that theory."

"You know Halliwell, I never thought you to be the kind who flirts with the enemy."

"Who said you're the enemy?" Chris asked.

She was quiet for a moment. Her eyes shimmered with the same fear they had earlier. As if Chris were looking straight through her. "You've certainly treated me like one for the past three weeks," Bianca finally replied coolly.

"I was protecting my family from your investigation."

"The investigation isn't over," she said.

"Maybe not. But that's not going to stop me from getting what I want," Chris told her. Their gazes collided with the force of two titans.

Bianca gave a self-satisfied smirk. "Me neither."

* * *

"It was so weird. I think I had a dream about Lucky," Laura chuckled.

"No way! We were talking about him," Lucy said.

"I hated that dog," Laura shook her head. "He would always eat my homework. And only _my_ homework."

"That's because you were the only one who did your homework," Lila teased.

The three sisters sat in the hospital room, recovering from the traumatic ordeal. Lucy sat on the bed near Laura's feet and Lila lounged in the chair next to them. "Did mom and dad really sleep together?" Laura asked.

"Oh God, yes, unfortunately," Lila groaned.

"I tried telling you," Lucy said.

"And I tried ignoring you," Laura sighed.

"We walked in on them," Lucy told her, face twisted in disgust. "It's just . . . oh they're so old . . . and it's mom and dad . . . and . . ."

"Okay, they're not that old," Lila said.

"It's still mom and dad!"

"Believe it or not, it's what we always wanted," Laura mused.

"Them having sex?"

"No, getting back together Lou," Lila replied, rolling her eyes.

"I meant to thank you guys for saving my life," Laura spoke up. Her hazel gaze twinkled in appreciation. "Figuring out the antidote . . . that was pretty awesome."

"Anything for you," Lucy said. "We weren't going to let you die."

"You had us really worried," Lila admitted.

Laura's face softened. She gave her sister a knowing look and reached out, carefully taking Lila's hand into her own. "I could . . . I could actually kind of hear you guys when I was asleep," she said. "And Lila, I . . ."

"Listen, we don't have to relive it," her sister insisted, though she sniffled slightly. Lila's mouth pulled in a smile. "I'm just glad you know."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "Yeah, I always knew Ly. And I hope that we can take a step forward with all this."

"I'm not one to waste second chances," Lila said.

"Are we going to get all sappy?" Lucy sighed.

"Yes, Luce, we are," Laura chuckled. "Because, I love both of you so much. And I know I don't tell you that enough, but I love you, I love you, I love you . . ."

She nearly pulled Lila from her chair in their embrace and the two laughed. Lucy crawled up to join in on the group hug as Lila hopped onto the other side of Laura's bed. The three girls wrestled with the pillows and covers, laughing slightly as they sat on the mattress. They paused only momentarily when the door was pushed open.

"Wyatt!" Laura greeted.

"Hey," he smiled. He shuffled inside, still in his gown and hospital robe, hair frazzled, but looking much better than earlier. "I had to come check on my prodigy."

"Prodigy?" Lila asked.

"She didn't tell you? We had our first training session together," Wyatt said.

"Does that explain your successful demon vanquish earlier?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know. We actually spent our time together meditating," Laura revealed.

"Meditating?"

"She will answer no further questions. The ways of the grand master are a secret," Wyatt winked. "You feeling better?"

"Much," Laura replied with a smirk. "What about you?"

"I'm about ready to bust out of this joint. I'm lucky I was even able to get out of my room. Mom's been watching me like a hawk."

The door opened again behind them and Wyatt cringed, half expecting Piper to come charging through. Instead, appearing with as much authority was James. His blue eyes were bright despite the recent hospital meltdown; after all, unlike the rest of the family, Laura and James had survived long shifts of medical school with little to no sleep. Still, relief followed him, especially as he saw Laura with restored health.

"You're looking better by the hour," James told her as he picked up her chart from the end of the bed. He smiled at the rest of the family who lingered. "Wyatt, shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Uh . . . no?" Wyatt tried.

"I hate to pull rank, but doctor's orders," James said.

"He's a surgeon," Laura teased.

"Who has been slumming it down here in the emergency room," he chuckled.

"Well, I'll take Wyatt back," Lucy volunteered, jumping up from Laura's bed and grabbing her cousin by the arm. "We don't want aunt Piper to have an aneurism and end up in a bed too."

Wyatt groaned as Lucy dragged him out the door, leaving Lila, Laura, and James behind. "Your vitals are strong," James said.

"How's everyone else?" Laura asked.

James replaced the pen in his lab coat and smiled. "Great. Dr. Salt's antidote is working wonders."

"Dr. Salt's antidote?" Laura repeated in confusion. Lila's face dropped in equal confusion.

"Yep. Max was working like a madman," James replied. "He's brilliant really. He's going to go down in the medical journals."

"What was the antidote, exactly?" Lila asked.

"It was an unknown antibiotic. I actually haven't really had the chance to ask him about it," James said.

"Well, we'll have to be sure to thank him," Laura said as she exchanged looks with her sister. Lila was tense with the news and rose from the bed. If Salt had provided the same antidote that meant that he knew what they knew. He would be their latest lead. And Lila would be damned if they didn't find him. "It's been a long day, Lila . . ."

She met her sister's gaze and stopped. Without a word Laura communicated. The glint in her eyes said to wait. It told Lila to let it go, if only for a day. And while everything in her screamed to pursue the latest adversary, she would listen. Lila nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Listen, I have someone to go check on. I'll leave you two alone."

"Lila . . ."

"Don't worry. I will give Dr. Salt my gratitude later," she smirked. Laura sighed in relief, eyes stuck on the closed door even after her sister departed, hardly focused as James melted into her arms for an embrace.

* * *

She had hit it.

She was never sure what they meant by it.

But she knew now.

The house was dark. The bottle was empty. And in the shadows that kept her company, she could see her fate.

It pressed down on her soul. It taunted her and berated her and held her hostage so aggressively that there was surely on escape.

Kate had hit her bottom.

And as of now, there was no way out. She lost it all. Her parents. Her powers. Her charges. Her calling. Her sister. Her friends. Her dignity. Herself. With each passing second she needed a drink more ardently. She clung desperately to the notion that she could make it all go away. She couldn't fix anything but she could forget. She couldn't run away but she could become so numb that it was as if she weren't there. All she knew now was the alcohol. It was literally the one thing she had to depend on. It was the one thing keeping her from falling off the edge.

Because already she was gone. Already she was in a dark place. This was what they called rock bottom.

"Kate . . ."

She didn't bother to acknowledge her visitor. Only the tears continued to fall as she squeezed her eyes shut. Lila quietly took a seat next to her on the ground where she left her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm here," Lila said. "Kate, I'm here."

It was no comfort. But in her sobs she nearly collapsed into the fetal position, desperate to hide. Desperate to ignore all that she had become. Lila easily grabbed her into her arms, rubbing her back as Kate rested her head in her cousin's lap.

"Shhh…" Lila hushed. "It's okay."

"What's going to happen to me?" Kate hiccupped. "What did I do?"

"Don't worry about that now," Lila whispered. "We're going to get you help, Kate. It's going to be okay."

"What if you can't help me?" Kate whispered.

"We'll find a way," she answered gently as she stroked her cousin's waves of brunette hair. "But we don't give up."

**[End of Episode Four]**

* * *

_I never thought I'd finish four episodes, but that concludes yet another one. Thanks for all the reviews. I have plans for a few more, but I really don't know where it's going to go, so your ideas and opinions are of high value! Thank you again and drop a comment if you can! Thanks ~ Sammy _


	21. Episode Five : Devil's Thunder

Episode 5: Devil's Thunder

"Are they really supposed to be this nice?"

"I know, kind of makes you want to go to rehab, doesn't it?"

Piper Halliwell, void of all vacillation, flicked her eldest son behind the ear. He immediately flinched, hissing slightly, though filling with remorse.

"Sorry, not funny," Wyatt mumbled as he rubbed the back of his head.

The dining room table was a mess with pamphlets, brochures, and paperwork, and hovering over the array of items was Sam. Lines of stress streaked her forehead as she flipped through one of the shiny booklets, studying the pictures of the beach with uncertainty.

"She'll be well taken care of this way," Phoebe said to her niece.

"I just don't know. Maybe we're moving too fast," Sam sighed.

Piper and Phoebe exchanged glances behind their niece's back, both confirming that the other remained on the same page. Wyatt bowed his head as he sat, quietly picking at his waffles. Chris shifted his gaze up from where he was studying one of the pamphlets, ready to jump in if need be.

The decision was a hard.

But all in all, there was no denying that it was the right one. The family no longer had the tools or resources to help Kate. While no one wanted to go down the rather grueling path of a rehabilitation facility, it seemed like the safest and smartest option. Between Phoebe, Piper, Leo, and Sam, along with a little insight from Chris and Lila, the family settled that they would admit her.

"This is what she needs, sweetie," Phoebe told Sam. She squeezed her shoulder in encouragement.

"The longer we let this go on, the worse it will get," Chris added as he leaned on one of the dining room chairs. Piper nodded in agreement.

"It just seems so unreal," Sam said, shaking her head. "I mean, maybe it's not that bad."

"I know it's hard to face, but living in denial is only hurting Kate," Phoebe said.

"We've all seen the extent of her drinking. She was drunk at the New Year's Eve party. And Chris dealt with her on a number of occasions. She put her charges in jeopardy. The Elders wouldn't have taken her powers if there wasn't a problem," Piper replied.

"We can fix this. But we all have to be on the same page," Phoebe said.

Sam nodded, though a frown pulled at her face. She twiddled with her fingers, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the family. "What if she won't go?"

"That's what the intervention is for," Phoebe advised. "We tell her what we've noticed, how it makes us feel, and we give her the chance to change. We have to set boundaries. We let her know the consequences of not going to rehab."

"We're going to have to give her some tough love," Piper murmured with a sad smile.

"Most of all we have to present a united front."

With a heavy sigh, Sam ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know if I can do this," she moaned.

"You can do it," Wyatt encouraged.

"We'll do it together," Piper assured. "You're not alone."

"Have you decided who you want to be here?" Phoebe asked.

Sam gave a nod. "Yeah, obviously you two and uncle Leo. Joey's going to take her to lunch and they'll meet us here this afternoon," she said. "I think the entire family would overwhelm her, but I was hoping Chris and Lila could come, since they've been up close and personal with her behavior."

"I'll be here," Chris said. He looked to his brother. "Wyatt, maybe you can help Laura and Lucy since Lila and I will be busy?"

Wyatt eagerly nodded. "Of course."

"Help them with what?" Piper asked.

"You just can't stand not being in the middle of things, can you?" Chris scoffed with a chuckle at his mother. Wyatt also grinned widely and Piper only glared.

"Christopher Perry, you better tell me."

"Look, it's killing her!"

"Chris, tell us," Phoebe butt in.

"Okay, okay," he sighed. "We're following a lead. That antidote, the one from the hospital, was created by a Dr. Maxwell Salt."

"So?"

"So, that means he figured out that it takes the Power of Three too. He knew it would take Laura, Lila, and Lucy's blood to cure the virus. We don't know if he's friend or foe but Salt has some sort of connection to all of this," Chris explained.

"Dr. Salt? Does he works with Laura?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah," Wyatt nodded.

"Well, that means he could be the inside guy, right?" Piper asked.

"It's a possibility. That's why we're going to pursue him as a lead," Chris agreed.

"But today our focus is Kate," Wyatt spoke up as he rose from the table. Phoebe, Piper, and Chris immediately blushed at their keenness to pursue demonic foes opposed to dealing with the current crisis. Sam, however, remained unaffected.

"No, it's all right," she assured. "Demons don't rest for family angst."

"That's for sure," Chris smirked.

"It'll all work out," Wyatt told his cousin, gently patting her shoulder. "I'm going to go meet up with the girls. You guys just call if you end up needing me."

"Wait, Wy, I'm going with you," Sam said frantically. She blushed nervously, trying her best to remain under control. "I need to talk to Lila anyway."

"All right," he replied. "We'll see you guys later then…"

The two swirled out in identical orbs, leaving Piper, Phoebe, and Chris behind. He swallowed hard. "Do you think it's going to work?"

"What? The intervention?" Piper asked.

"Yeah."

"I think so," Phoebe answered. "Kate needs our help. We may not have seen it before, but it's better late than never."

* * *

With a painful groan Joey greeted the morning. A few streaks of light fell across his face, stinging his eyes as he blinked them open. Hardly coherent he looked over at the bedside clock, examining it in regret. It was half past ten. If he didn't hurry he would miss his class at SFU before partaking in the intervention activities that were to commence.

Joey was responsible for keeping Kate occupied and in the end, getting her to the manor for the dreaded event. He had yet to decide how he felt about it. Deep down, he knew Kate needed help. He knew that sooner than anyone else had actually. He could feel it in her embrace only hours after their mother's burial. Since then things spiraled out of control. As he stared up at the blank ceiling, he remorsefully pondered whether he could have helped. Whether he had simply ignored what was obvious. And then he quickly reminded himself that it was too late.

It wasn't until he untwisted himself from the sheets that he realized he had a visitor. Strung across his bed were a variety of clothing items that were not his own, including a lacey, pink bra and a pair of heels. He realized the shower was running and whoever his night guest was, had already woken up.

Running a hand through his tangled brown locks, Joey slowly stretched and stumbled out of bed, throwing on a t-shirt and shuffling out in his boxers. "Natalie . . ." he mumbled. "That had to have been it. Natalie . . ."

The apartment was quiet and he assumed Melinda was out. Still rubbing his eyes, he entered the kitchen, blindly finding a coffee cup in one of the cabinets. He poured the remainder of the brew from the pot into his mug, and leaned against the counter. "Or was it Nadine?" he muttered to himself.

Just as he started to wake up, slurping down a portion of his coffee, the front door swung open. He quickly looked up, immediately scowling when he realized who entered. "Hey," the man nodded awkwardly, hands on his hips as he caught his breath. Clamoring in behind him was Melinda, equally winded but grinning.

"You're up," Melinda said to her cousin.

"Yeah," Joey nodded, eyes still set on Jack. "Didn't know he was here."

"We just went on a run," she replied.

"She kicked my ass," Jack smirked.

"I took you for an athlete Jack," Joey said. "Or are you just one of those guys who writes about athletes?"

"Ignore him," Melinda told Jack. She gave Joey a scowl. "Who's in the shower, Joe?"

"Oh, uh, my friend," Joey answered.

"What you don't know her name?" Melinda asked.

"I know her name."

"Then what is it?"

"Natalie and she is a very nice girl," he replied, taking a long drink of his coffee. "Why are you getting all up in my business?"

Melinda pinched his ear as she passed him. "If I didn't love you so much and you weren't dealing with other things, I would tell you right where to put it," she groaned.

"And where's that?" Joey called after her.

The kitchen went quiet as Melinda closed the door to her bedroom, leaving Jack and Joey to face each other's company. "So . . ." Jack started. "Nice boxers."

Joey flicked the man a glare. "Nice haircut."

"You feeling better?"

"From the virus?" he clarified. "Yeah. Symptom free for a week now. How about you?"

"I feel fine," Jack nodded. The two fell into an awkward silence and Jack sighed. "Listen, I know you don't like me, and to be honest, I'm not sure why . . ."

"You just haven't earned my trust yet," Joey shrugged.

"You're all pretty protective of Melinda, aren't you?" Jack asked.

"We're all protective of each other," he said. "That's how things work in this family."

"You don't need to protect her from me," Jack replied.

"Sure I don't," Joey said. "I mean, she falls for you in what, a few weeks?"

"We've been dating nearly a month."

"Whatever. I just don't like it. How do I know you're not just a smooth talking jerk who swooned her because you prey on girls like Melinda?"

"Prey on girls like Melinda?"

"Vulnerable, sweet, and far too trusting."

"Listen, Melinda's a big girl. You can hate me all you want, but one of these days she's going to have to face the world without you or her brothers making decisions for her," Jack reasoned. "But I care about her, Joey. I'm going to be around for awhile. So we can start getting along or you can keep making this painful for everyone involved."

"You have sisters Jack?"

"No."

"Are you close with your family?"

"Not in particular."

"Then you couldn't understand. Not until after you've seen them betrayed, and hurt, and in danger, and mourning, and completely broken and self-destructive, could you ever understand why you protect the ones you love," Joey said.

"What do I have to do to make you trust me?"

"Why are you so worried about earning my trust, Jack?" Joey challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Interrupting the pair was the sound of footsteps coming from the hall, causing the two men to turn attention to their visitor. Stalking toward them with a towel over her wet blonde hair and one of Joey's t-shirts on was his most recent one-night-stand. She smiled at Joey as she approached, far from bashful despite being scantily clad. "Morning," she chirped.

"Morning," the two men greeted.

Melinda came up behind the girl, eyebrows raised as she glanced to her cousin. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" the girl asked.

"Of course," Joey answered. "This is my cousin Melinda and her boyfriend Jack. Guys, this is Natalie."

"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking both Melinda and Jack's hands. She then glared at Joey. "And my name's Nicole, you asshole."

His face dropped slightly as Nicole retreated down the hall, slamming the door to his bedroom behind her before she presumably gathered her clothes. "I meant Nicole," Joey told Melinda.

"Oh you did?" she snorted. "Well, she seemed like a very nice girl. You should bring her to family dinner sometime."

"Shut up," Joey said.

"I better get going," Jack spoke up, trying to suppress his amusement at Joey's encounter. He kissed Melinda on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Sounds good," she said.

"Oh, and Joey, I know you're not very fond of guys who write about athletes, but I get a lot of free tickets. How about me and you catch a Giant's game sometime," Jack offered.

Joey gave a slow nod, arms still folded across his chest. "We'll see," he said. Jack gave a reserved nod before slipping out the door, leaving Melinda and Joey behind.

"He's making an effort, Joey," Melinda told her cousin.

"I just don't trust him, Mel."

"What is there not to trust?"

"I don't know. He's too nice or something…" Joey groaned as he made his way for the hallway. "Have you introduced him to Wyatt and Chris yet?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Melinda asked.

"Perhaps they won't think I'm crazy."

"Jack hasn't done anything wrong. He makes me happy and if you wanted to make me happy too, you'd give him a chance."

Joey stopped his tracks and sighed. "I'll try, okay?" he said. "But only because you didn't give me shit about Nadine."

"Thank you," Melinda smirked. "And her name's Nicole."

* * *

"You done with that?"

"No."

"You're hogging the newspaper."

"I gave you the business section like two seconds ago. What'd you do, only look at the pictures?" Laura asked, still not pulling her gaze from the front page.

"No, it's just boring. I could care less about the stock market," Lucy grumbled as she returned her attention to the cereal in her bowl. "Maybe Sam can get us another subscription to the Bay Mirror."

"We don't need two newspapers," Laura chuckled. "Of all the transitions we've made living together, I can't believe sharing the newspaper has been the most difficult."

"I like my current events," Lucy said. "It's a good thing Lila doesn't bother to read; otherwise we'd have a real problem on our hands."

Laura shook her head, drinking down the rest of her coffee as she passed her youngest sister the newspaper. Morning was just beginning to break through the window of the breakfast nook, casting a warm golden hue over the girls. In comparison to their usually hectic lives, the Sunday breakfast was a nice dose of relaxation. The two still lounged in their pajamas and enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee without any demonic foes intruding.

"You think we should wake up Lila and Gage?" Lucy asked as she turned the page.

"Lila and Gage?" Laura repeated. "He spent the night?"

"When doesn't he spend the night?" Lucy scoffed. "Granted, I guess you wouldn't know since you're in bed by eight o'clock these days . . ."

"You would be too if you worked twelve hour shifts at the hospital," she replied with a yawn.

"I think they're going to get married," Lucy said.

Laura nearly choked on her coffee as she placed the mug down. Her maple eyes were wide in surprise. "What makes you think that?"

"Uh, I don't know, they've been together for two years and he still hasn't bailed," she answered nonchalantly. "They seem pretty content with each other. I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised. Why? Is it weird for you because you're the oldest?"

"No," Laura answered quickly. "No, that doesn't have to do with anything. I mean, it shouldn't matter. It doesn't."

"Right," Lucy muttered. She carefully glanced up from her reading. "So, how are you and James?"

"We're fine."

"Fine? That's it?"

"What do you want to know?"

"I don't know," Lucy shrugged. "You don't bring him around often. Actually, I don't think you've ever brought him here. It's like he went back into hiding after the New Year's Eve party."

"We're in a good place right now," Laura explained. "In order to maintain that I keep him away from demons, magic, and our crazy family."

"Those are all kind of the same thing," Lucy said. "I'm not going to judge. But are you ever going to disclose the little detail that you're a witch?"

"Eventually…" Laura murmured.

"You know, the longer you keep it a secret, the worse it's going to be when you tell him."

"I appreciate your concern, Louie, but I'm not going to worry about it now," she insisted.

"Fine," Lucy sighed, returning her attention back to the paper. "Hey, what's your sign again?"

"What sign?"

"Your sign. You know, I'm an Aquarius, Lila's a Cancer . . ."

"Scorpio," Laura answered.

"Like Chris and aunt Prue," Lucy remembered. "Well, here, listen to your horoscope: 'You will need to be honest with a loved one today'…"

"That is such crap," Laura chuckled. "I bet you made it up."

"Horoscopes don't lie."

"But younger sisters do, now let me see that," Laura said, reaching over for the newspaper. Lucy quickly squirmed away, scooting down the breakfast nook bench.

"It's a sign! You should tell James the truth."

"It's a sign that you are far too concerned about my love life."

Before the tussle for the newspaper could begin, a bright swirl of blue lights landed in the kitchen. The two girls swiftly set their attention on their cousins. "Good morning, ladies," Wyatt greeted.

"It's too early for your perkiness," Lucy groaned, swiping her empty mug from the table and heading toward the coffee pot.

"How's it going?" Laura asked them. Wyatt remained standing as Sam plopped down in a seat.

"It's going," Sam answered.

"You ready for today?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

"What time do you want us there?" Lucy asked as she returned with a full cup. Wyatt sat down in the breakfast nook after his youngest cousin slid into a seat.

"Actually, we've decided it's probably best if we don't make a big family spectacle of this. I think it will be overwhelming enough without having twelve people there," Sam explained.

"Makes sense to me," Laura nodded. "But if you need us, we'll be there."

"Thanks," she said. "I was actually hoping I could talk to Lila. I think aside from Joey and myself, I want her and Chris there too."

"Her and lover boy are still in bed," Lucy told Sam.

"Gage?" Wyatt chuckled. "When are they going to just get married already?"

"Okay, why is everyone saying that?" Laura asked.

"I think the idea of Lila getting married first is getting to her," Lucy whispered to Wyatt.

"It is not," she rolled her eyes. "I just didn't realize they were so serious."

"I mean, she is a Cupid. Why would she waste her time with anyone who wasn't her true love?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Shallow, but an interesting theory," Wyatt smiled.

"I liked your opinion on Senator Murdoch by the way," Lucy said.

"Thanks," Sam replied modestly. "Just doing my part in analyzing the political machine."

"Whoa, I didn't know we were having another family gathering here," Lila yawned as she shuffled into the kitchen. Gage tripped in behind her, wearing only a pair of boxers. It seemed he would have been wearing more if his girlfriend hadn't stolen his shirt.

"Long night you two?" Wyatt asked.

"Ew, I don't want the details," Lucy said. "And Gage, while we all admire your God-like body, can you wear a shirt?"

"Sorry," he mumbled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I didn't think we'd have an audience."

"Not that I don't love you both but can I ask what you're doing here?" Lila asked as she sat next to Wyatt. Gage stretched as hopped onto the island in the center of the kitchen.

"Well, as you know, Kate's intervention is this afternoon," Sam said slowly. "I don't want the whole family there but I was hoping you would come. You saw Kate at her worst. You were with her after her wings were clipped and you two spend a lot of time together as it is . . ."

"Of course I'll be there," Lila assured. "I planned on it."

"Have you guys found a rehab center?" Laura asked.

"Yeah, there's one in Pasadena," Sam nodded. "The only good thing about her wings getting clipped is she won't be able to orb herself out of rehab."

"That would be a problem," Gage smirked.

"And while Chris and Lila and everyone else are at the intervention, I have been sent to aid you in continuing our investigation," Wyatt told Laura and Lucy.

Lucy groaned. "It's a Sunday. I have a paper to write for my stupid urban architecture class and the professor hates me and if . . ."

"Lou, we're talking about the Source of All Evil," Lila cut her off.

"Yeah, it's my day off too," Laura said. "But we may not get a lead like this again."

"Exactly," Wyatt nodded.

Sam cleared her throat. "Listen, guys, I also came because I have some information to pass on," she said timidly. The kitchen went silent and instantly everyone's gazes fell on her. She swallowed hard. "The name of the Source is Malum. He's an experienced businessman and he's been running the Underworld like some sort of human corporation. He's dangerous. He's married to another demon named Aliah. Her son is head of the Brotherhood of Thorn."

"How do you know all this?" Lila asked.

"I've just done a little research of my own."

"But Sam . . ."

"Please, don't ask," she said. "This is why I didn't want to say anything in front of Chris, all right? Just take the information I've given you and use it. Claim it to be your own."

"Sam, I'm sorry, but you're scaring the shit out of me," Laura said. "What have you been doing?"

"I've been careful and everything is fine, I promise," Sam assured. Before anyone else could jump in, she continued. "As far as the Brotherhood is concerned, I think we need to start seriously pursuing Cole Turner. The Brotherhood of Thorn is based on a bloodline. That means a descendent or an original member is responsible for resurrecting it."

"Cole Turner may be alive, but he's dangerous," Wyatt said. "Are we sure that's the safest option?"

"It's just an idea. Do what you want with it," Sam advised. "But I think whether we want to face it or not, Cole could be our best shot at figuring this out."

"What are we trying to figure out exactly?" Lucy asked.

"We'll know when we find it," Laura murmured. Sam nodded in agreement.

"Kate lost herself trying to find mom's killer," Sam said. "I don't want that to be in vain."

"We won't let it be."

* * *

Despite the shade of an umbrella, intense sunlight beat down on the small café. Round tables lined the sidewalk, tucked away from the marketplace that crowded the cobblestone courtyard. Aging buildings were crammed together, slumping into one another with balconies protruding into the daylight. Laundry lines were hung between residences, weighed with damp clothes that basked in the morning warmth for drying.

"You're quiet, Dell," a voice cooed.

There was no response to the woman's observation. Oversized sunglasses rested on the bridge of her nose, hoop earrings dangled from her ears, and a floppy hat shaded her from the rays of sun. She swirled a glass of pinot, watching her companion with astuteness.

"Dell?" she tried again. "Delezar, I'm talking to you."

"What? Sorry mother," he sighed, rushing his gaze over to meet that of hers. She pursed her lips in frustration.

"Not used to that name are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Should I start calling you Jack? Would that be easier?" she snipped.

"No mother," he answered warily.

"What is wrong with you? You love Venice," Aliah said in confusion.

"No, you love Venice," Jack chuckled.

Aliah seemed less amused. She was surrounded by shopping bags and sat with legs crossed, one foot bouncing impatiently. "I don't understand what's wrong with you."

"There's nothing wrong with me," he said.

"Oh there's not?" she challenged. Her small jaw clenched in frustration as she gritted her teeth together. "This isn't the demon I raised you to be!"

"Shhh," Jack growled, glancing over his shoulder anxiously, desperate to make sure no one in the crowded outdoor café heard them. "What is the matter with you?"

"You tell me, darling," Aliah hissed, raising an eyebrow. She bitterly drank back her wine and he gave a long sigh.

"It's a little early for that, don't you think?"

"This is what I'm talking about! What is going on? When did you become like this?" Aliah asked. "Malum thinks that you've gone soft . . ."

"I haven't gone soft," Jack mumbled. "And why would you listen to Malum?"

"I can see it too. You've changed," Aliah said. She brought a hand to her mouth in melodramatic flare. "And you're breaking my heart."

"Mom," he sighed. "Don't cry . . ."

"Delezar, didn't you think about what this could do to your mother? After all I've done for you," she blubbered. She brought a napkin to her cheeks, patting them dry with each forced sob. A few people glanced over at the table and Jack quickly blushed.

"Ma, I'm sorry," he said, patting her hand. "I've just been a little distracted I guess."

"Who is she?" Aliah asked. Miraculously her tears stopped and she tensed with seriousness.

Jack's mouth dropped in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'll kill her," she continued coldly. She leaned in closer, removing the sunglasses from her eyes, glaring into her son's. "Who is she, Jack? Let mother help you."

"There's no one," he answered.

"You lie!" Aliah growled. "I can tell when you're lying, darling."

"My job is to get close to the Halliwells," Jack murmured.

"Is it the one from the newspaper that you work with?"

"No, mom, stop."

"Jack, I don't care who you take to bed, but at the end of the day you need to remember your job. Your allegiance," she told him. "If this girl is a distraction . . ."

"There's no distraction," Jack said.

Aliah shook her head. "You remember when I sent you to college in Chicago?"

"Northwestern," he clarified with a nod.

"Yes and I vividly recall you saying you very much enjoyed it," Aliah said.

"I did," Jack replied.

"Well, I didn't send you to enjoy it. I sent you so that you could one day blend into the human world. And you weren't sent up here to enjoy things either! You were sent to bring down the Halliwells," she hissed. She was flustered as she snatched up her empty glass and glared around. "Waiter! I need another!"

"That's what I'm trying to do," Jack whispered. "I've been trying to get close to them so that I can make a move."

"No, you've been up here pretending to be a human for so long that you believe it yourself! So much so that you've become pathetic!" Aliah shouted. By now a nervous server appeared, trembling as he filled Aliah's glass. She gave him a glare when he finished. "That's all, thank you."

"It means nothing," Jack insisted.

"I'll make sure of it," she said. "I will not let you fail, Delezar. You're my son and I want what's best for you."

"Thank you, mother."

"Malum is extremely disappointed in you."

"I don't care what Malum thinks."

"He's your father."

"He is not my father!" Jack snapped.

Aliah smiled. "Oh see, there's the demon I raised."

"Malum is slime. I can't believe you married him."

"Darling, he's the Source and needed a Queen. Of course I married him," Aliah sighed as she examined her cuticles. "I just wish you'd do as he asks."

"I'll do my best mother," Jack sighed. He bitterly rose from his chair, prepared for a swift departure.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to San Francisco. I have a job," he said.

"Oh please, you don't actually take that seriously, do you?"

"It's all a part of my cover," Jack replied.

"Just remember one thing my darling," Aliah told him. "I will kill her for you."

"You're a sweetheart," Jack said.

"I can still remember when you killed your first innocent . . ." she said adoringly. "It was like yesterday. Now look at you . . . all brawn and evil."

He grudgingly kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Bye!" Aliah sighed. She watched as he stalked down the sidewalk, disappearing into the large Italian crowd. With a shake of her head she raised her glass and sipped down more wine.

This was bad and she knew it. Delezar was drifting and she could feel it. The mission would be in jeopardy. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could protect him. But she would be damned if she didn't find a way.

* * *

With a dense feeling in his stomach Joey punted the kickstand of his motorcycle, steadying the bike along the sidewalk. The black vehicle gleamed in the sunlight, sleek and powerful with its two wheels and leather seat. Joey pulled the dark helmet from his head and unzipped his leather jacket. In the midst of paying student loans and earning a meager paycheck as a part-time bartender, Joey's motorcycle was perhaps one of his most prized possessions. He earned it after long shifts bussing tables at the Triquetra and later working the counter at P3. His mother of course had always been against the bike, claiming it was too dangerous. As naïve as it was, however, Joey liked to believe despite his lack of powers he could live life on the edge. Though a motorcycle was hardly comparable to powers or fighting demons, it was at least something he could call his own. It made him unique and in some ways, filled the deep hole existing where his magical abilities should be.

As he fixed his hair with a shake of his head, Joey stared up at the apartment complex with trepidation. Surely there was nothing good awaiting him.

Joey loved his sisters. That much was certain. Since he could remember he idolized the twins no matter how much they tormented and teased him. In the end they took care of him. They were protective and reliable and would do anything for him. In return, Joey provided the same.

He loved different things about them. Sam was perhaps more maternal and compassionate than Kate. She was sensitive and sometimes a little controlling. She was the kind of sister always making sure he had cleaned his laundry, ate all his food groups, and stayed out of harm's way.

Kate on the other hand showed love in a different way. For starters, she was pure power. She was strong and confident and dependable. Joey knew he could count on her when things got out of hand. He came to her for advice. More importantly, they were bonded by interests. Both were athletes, playing at the collegiate level after high school. They were groomed with the same mentality and driven by the same sort of desires. They understood and respected one another.

But now everything was in the shitter.

Kate was gone for starters. His once secure sister was falling apart. The twin's relationship was just as strained. It seemed Kate and Sam were inseparable. Now as his sisters distanced from one another, angered and bitter, Joey felt like a small child whose parents were getting a divorce. There was no way to take a side and deep down he wanted nothing more than them to be together and happy again. So he was caught in the middle, lost and void of direction.

Already he dreaded the intervention. As far as Kate's drinking was concerned, he kept his distance. Maybe it was denial or avoidance, but Joey had yet to accept that it was even bad enough for such drastic measures. Or perhaps he just wanted to believe that his sister wasn't capable. After all, Kate was about self-preservation and discipline, not excess and overindulgence.

Still, he agreed. He would be the first culprit in the process, taking Kate out for lunch and eventually leading her back to the Manor for the intervention. As he climbed the steps to the apartment his sisters shared, guilt clung to each step. It felt wrong to blindside her in such a way. The Kate he knew would be able to see right through him. She would ask what he was up to.

Joey could only proceed under the assumption that this wasn't his Kate anymore.

He knocked on the door, trying his best to keep his composure. He shifted the helmet in his hand and bounced on his toes, impatiently awaiting an answer. Joey hesitantly knocked again, unaware that his sister was only blinking open her eyes on the other side of the door.

"Fuck," Kate mumbled as she woke. She was on her bedroom floor, her comforter tangled about her. Her temples pounded incessantly with a headache and as she pulled herself up with the help of the bed frame she took note of an empty bottle hidden away.

"Kate? You in there?"

She scrambled to put on a shirt and jeans, tripping over loose items along the ground. Her stomach swirled with nausea and she was desperate to escape the pain in her neck and back. She rammed into the doorframe on her way out of the room, clumsily stumbling down the hallway as the knocking continued.

"It's Joey!" he called. "Kate? Is everything okay? I'll break down this door.."

"I'm coming!" she assured. She frantically rifled through her bag that was on the couch in the living room, not stopping until her fingers traced over the familiar silver flask. It was her father's flask. One of the many things of Henry's she had taken and used as her own. Ignoring her brother's impatient pounding; she urgently chugged down as much of the liquor as she could. Nothing to cure a hangover like more alcohol.

"Kate!" Joey barked.

She tossed the empty container into her purse and scrambled for the door, pulling it open as she panted for air.

"You okay?" Joey asked, taken back by her display of messy hair and heaving.

"I'm fine," she breathed, hands on her hips. "Why? What are you doing here?"

"We're going to lunch," he answered as he brushed past her, entering the apartment without invitation. "Remember?"

Kate closed the door and swallowed down hard. "Of course I remember," she nodded.

"I haven't seen you for awhile," Joey said. He studied her closely. "How have things been?"

"Everything's fine Joey. Why do you keep asking that?"

"I don't know, because you hardly talk about how you feel anymore," he shrugged. "I worry, I guess."

"Well don't."

"A lot of things have happened and all you have to say is that you're fine."

"What do you want me to say, Joe?" Kate snapped. "That it sucks? That without my powers I don't know what to do with myself? That I'm humiliated and embarrassed and sit around with nothing to do?"

Joey lowered his head and quickly regretted provoking her. She remained unemotional with her words but he could detect the hurt. "We're all here to support you, Kate," he said.

"Did they send you to tell me that?"

"No, I came because I miss my sister," Joey replied. "I want us to be how we used to be. You, Sam, and I…"

"We still are," Kate insisted.

He frowned. He wasn't going to argue but it was near impossible to agree with her. If she was going to live in denial he would let her, because in reality things were far from the same. If she couldn't see that, perhaps she really was in need of help. "Let's go get some lunch," he said.

"Right and how do you expect to get there?" she asked. "In case you forgot, I can't orb."

Joey's mouth dropped and an amused smile curled his lips. "Are you kidding me? Are you really that reliant on your powers?" he chuckled.

"I'm glad you find this funny but I orbed everywhere, Joe," Kate answered, arms folded across her chest. "And I don't have a car because I never needed one."

He grinned. "Well, come on, I'll show you how us mere mortals travel."

"Last I checked you don't have a car either," Kate said as she followed him toward the door, grabbing her purse on the way.

"No, and that's why I brought an extra one of these," he said, handing her his helmet. "I may not be able to orb but you'll find your brother rides in style."

"We'll see about that."

* * *

Phoebe tried to disguise her frown as she stared into the steaming cup, aimlessly playing with the tea bag that floated inside. "It's post-traumatic stress disorder," she mumbled. "It was so obvious. I have a masters in psychology for God's sake and I couldn't diagnose my own niece."

"You can't beat yourself up," Piper told her younger sister. She sighed as she moved away from the kitchen counter and joined Phoebe at the small table. "We've all been a little preoccupied..."

"I just can't help but think that if we had noticed that it was PTSD sooner, maybe she wouldn't be here. She wouldn't have resorted to the alcohol. We could've gotten her to talk to someone . . ." Phoebe said, running a hand down her face and pinching the bridge of her nose. "And what kills me the most is that she's . . . she's . . ."

"Paige's daughter," Piper whispered gently. "I know. I've been thinking it too."

"I feel like we failed her," she said. Phoebe's dark eyes were filled with remorse as she finally sought out her sister's gaze. "That if it was one of us, Paige wouldn't have let this happen to our kids."

Piper shook her head. "Phoebe, we can't blame ourselves for this. They're grown adults," she said. "They make their own decisions now. We can only try to support them."

"That's a scary thought," Phoebe muttered.

"I know, it's certainly something that's taking me some getting used to," Piper smirked. "As much as I love your girls, sitting back and watching them do our Power of Three thing drives me crazy sometimes."

"I know. It's like teaching them how to drive. You want them to learn but it's scary and it'd be a whole hell of a lot easier to take back the wheel," Phoebe chuckled.

"Yeah, unfortunately I don't think we'll get it back," she replied. "I never thought I'd miss it so much."

"Yeah, what happened to your desire for a normal life?"

"I'm as confused as you are," Piper answered with a laugh. "I guess I didn't realize how much apart of us it became. Not to get sappy, but I feel a little empty without it."

"We're still witches Piper."

"I know, I know. But it's not our fight anymore," she said. "I think maybe the hardest part is that we can't protect them anymore."

"No, it's their turn to protect us," Phoebe replied. "Don't think of it as such a bad thing. It gives us time to enjoy ourselves for once . . ."

"Now you sound like, Leo," Piper told her. She raised an eyebrow. "You know, I've heard you've been enjoying yourself lately."

"Oh God, I should've known this was coming . . ."

"Phoebe! You and Coop, need I say more?"

"Yes, we slept together," Phoebe groaned. "Well, have been sleeping together."

"I knew it!" Piper said. "I just thought you'd tell me sooner."

"Well, between demons, our children, family, the virus, and the Source of All Evil, I didn't think it was an appropriate time," she sighed.

Piper smiled. "So, what does it mean for you two? Are you back together?"

"I don't know what we are," Phoebe answered. "I feel like it's too late for us."

"It's not too late, Phoebe."

"Easy for you to say. I have three ex-husbands and you're married to an angel," she replied. "I think maybe I'm done with the marriage thing."

"But you and Coop obviously still love each other."

"And it wasn't enough," Phoebe said. "It never seems to be enough. It wasn't enough with Cole…"

"He was the Source of All Evil, honey," Piper reminded her. "That was doomed from the start. But you and Coop had something very special."

"And we still couldn't make it work," Phoebe groaned. "You weren't there when we had a mini family reunion when we thought Laura might die. The way the divorce tore the girls apart and . . ."

"It's in the past," Piper told her.

"Laura and Lila spent their childhood hating each other because of Coop and I," she spouted off. "And Lucy . . . Lucy never talks about it. I mean, it's no wonder she just deflects everything . . ."

"But look at them now. Phoebe, they're the Power of Three. They're close again, they're living together, and they're protecting innocents. What more could you ask for? You can be as hard as you want on yourself, but you did something right. They're strong, independent, and resourceful young women who are doing as good if not better than we ever did," Piper assured her. "You're going to have to forgive yourself eventually. And you can't let the past jeopardize your chance for happiness in the present."

"You're right," Phoebe grumbled. She chuckled to herself. "When'd you get so good at giving advice? Maybe you should start writing my books for me."

"Right, lets not get ahead of ourselves," Piper replied.

* * *

_Thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter! I can't tell you how great it felt to get so much feedback. Episode 5 is starting a little slower but will hopefully pick up as we go along. It's getting a little harder to tie up story arcs and create new ones and continue important ones, so try to stick with me! I'll try to continue updating frequently but with so many characters and ideas it definitely takes more pacing. Oh and I think I mentioned it before but there's a wiki for this story (my homepage) and I've finally finished up all the bios for the characters (at least the kids) so feel free to check those out. There's some fun tidbits and such...uh that's about it. Hope to continue seeing reviews and I appreciate you reading! Thanks ~ Sammy _


	22. Devil's Thunder : Segment 2

"No, you give them the VIP treatment. Have two bottles of chardonnay on ice in their booth when they get there and she better not have to so much as ask for an apple martini or whatever the hell she drinks because I want someone making sure they're well-stocked and happy at all times . . ."

As crazy as it seemed, there were many Chris Halliwells. There was Chris Halliwell the witch: strong and lethal. Chris Halliwell the whitelighter: strict and dependable. Chris Halliwell the brother: loyal and protective. Chris Halliwell the son: vulnerable and humble. Chris Halliwell the family man: self-sacrificing and compassionate. And of course, Chris Haliwell the businessman: resourceful and demanding.

Since his start, Chris showed a knack for business. He cared about the numbers and the gains and the losses and most of all the profit. He took well-calculated risks and balanced the books with an uncanny thoroughness. But as his time progressed within the running of the club, he learned it wasn't just about the numbers; it was about the customers.

P3 was in decent financial health when Chris took over. But no offense to Piper, it was out of its league in the club realm. And that's where he pounced on an opportunity. While Piper busied herself with the newly opened restaurant, Chris revolutionized P3 into a San Francisco hot spot. The spirit of the original club was there, but Chris liked to think he birthed it into the 21st century. The lights were brighter, the dance floor bigger, more private booths, more bouncers, better DJs, popular music, and suddenly P3 was on the map. Every evening people lined up outside, waiting to pass the doorman with a clipboard. Other more privileged or famous club goers were given the VIP treatment.

Sure the G-rated feel of the club certainly disappeared and while Piper was more than happy with Chris' progress, she was also far more bashful when she visited the establishment. With the scantily clad twenty-somethings, groping, grinding, drunkards, and occasional users, it was certainly a playground for the young and frisky. Profits and popularity were through the roof; and Chris Halliwell the businessman was the one worthy of credit.

"_The DJ for tonight called in sick. You want me to call Dwayne?" _

"Yeah, yeah, that works but tell Ronnie if he's "sick" one more time, we'll be happy to find a new regular," Chris said.

"_Are you going to be there tonight?"_

"I don't know. I have some family things to take care of. You just call me if anything goes wrong…"

When the call ended he clicked off the Bluetooth headset that rested on his ear and sighed, keeping his emerald gaze trained on the road. His battered Jeep hummed as it hugged around another corner. His left hand hung out of the window, allowing the breeze to trace his fingers.

Orbing would have been easier but he could always find solace in a slow drive. He wasn't sure when it started. As an infant a car ride was a sure way to quell his fussing according to his father. During childhood he could still remember Leo restoring old vehicles in the garage. Cars fascinated him as a boy and now they calmed him even as a man. In a car he was in control. He was normal and while it was nothing in comparison to telekinesis or vanquishes, with the wheel warm beneath his hands, he was powerful.

It was funny to think that among all the family's dominating abilities, it was the average tasks and everyday routines that hit them the hardest. Whether it was driving or dealing with work or going on dates or paying the bills, the human aspect of their lives was somehow much more difficult than ruthless demons and threatening evil. After all, it wasn't a demon that finally broke his cousin; it was the mere mortal malady. It's why he got in his car and drove into work that morning.

How were they ever supposed to defeat evil if they couldn't even defeat their own demons?

Chris shook the thoughts from his head as the manor came into view down Prescott Street. He prepared to ease the Jeep into his usual spot along the curb, only to be confused by the vehicle in his place. Usually he would have dismissed it, but the entirely black car, accompanied by a double mirror and a silent figure in the driver's seat had him full of suspicion. After turning of the engine and pulling the key from the ignition he went to pay the interloper a visit; only to find surprise taking over his curiosity.

"You're not looking for me, are you?"

Bianca jumped as Chris snuck up on her, a cheeky smile lifting his face. Though initially happy to see him, she quickly covered up her sentiment with a scowl. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"Uh, you're the one parked outside of my mother's house," he replied, arms folded across his chest. Sun glinted off of the shades that covered Bianca's eyes and she held herself rigidly in her black suit.

"Police business," she said.

"You're kidding me."

"I'm keeping surveillance on this house. I have a warrant and will be here for the next…" she paused to glance at her watch. "Twelve hours."

Chris gave a laugh. "This is a joke, right?"

"I told you this investigation isn't over."

"You didn't find anything!"

"Okay, first of all, I never told you that and secondly, why would I?" Bianca scoffed. "And not that I need to justify anything to you, but the chief of police believes that I have enough information to continue pursuing this case!"

"So you're going to sit out here, waiting for something to happen?" Chris asked. "That's ridiculous."

"I'm attempting to collect further evidence to solve the Matthews' murder," she replied.

"Well, you should be out there trying to find it, not spying on my family. Are we the suspects now? Is that what you're telling us?" he challenged.

"I'm not telling you shit," Bianca snipped. She removed the sunglasses from her face, peering up into Chris' with a dark gaze. "Just because we kissed and you played hero when I was sick, doesn't mean that I'm not going to do my job."

Chris placed hands on his knees, allowing himself to meet the detective at eye level, his jaw stiff in anger. "And just because I play nice, doesn't mean I'm going to stand by and let you walk all over us…"

"So are we back to being enemies?" Bianca smirked.

"I don't know what we are," Chris said. "Why?"

"It's just a lot more fun this way," she replied.

"I don't know if that's hot or messed up," he told her. "If you weren't so damn stubborn about this investigation, I might even consider taking you out on a date."

"Is that a bribe, Halliwell?"

"Not a chance, Detective," Chris said as he straightened up from his spot. "Have fun being bored out here. I hope you enjoy seeing a whole lot of nothing."

"Try not to look so guilty!" Bianca called after him teasingly. "It's not a good look for you!"

* * *

"Freeze!"

The orange sphere was rendered motionless in mid-air and Wyatt Halliwell gave a deep laugh. He sat in a cushioned chair in the living room, a bowl of fruit under one arm and a banana in his hand.

"Are you seeing this?" he chuckled.

"No, I'm trying to write my paper," Lucy grumbled. She was hunched over her laptop at the kitchen counter, back toward the duo who casually lounged in the next room.

"You're making great improvement," Wyatt told Laura.

"She's ruined two throw pillows," Lucy said.

"Which is why we moved onto fruit," Wyatt replied.

"I'll replace them, I promise," Laura added. She lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, only putting forth energy when more flying objects made their way toward her.

"Freeze!" Wyatt demanded.

She quickly flung up her hands, stopping the apple from soaring any further. While there was still the occasional mishap or flaming object, Laura's training had worked wonders. Her competency and effectiveness were far greater than when her powers first returned. Whether it was meditation, practice, or Wyatt's unorthodox philosophy of magic, Laura wasn't exactly sure, but what she did know was that something had finally worked.

"Aren't we supposed to be following a lead or something?" Lucy asked, still set on her work.

"We're practicing," Wyatt said. His mouth was full with another bite of his banana and he sounded laughable as he explained. "Laura's powers are important to the plan as well."

"Besides, I thought you wanted time to work," Laura added.

"Right, but you two are doing nothing. You know, I can kind of see why the Elders assigned Chris to be our whitelighter . . ."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Louis," Wyatt replied in outrage, mouth ajar. "That is a low blow my young friend. Just because I'm a little more . . ."

"Chill," Laura said.

"Chill?" Lucy chuckled.

"I like it," Wyatt told them. "Just because I am more chill, doesn't make me less effective. Now, where do we start?"

"Dr. Salt, Cole Turner, the Brotherhood of Thorn, Source of All Evil, take your pick," Laura said as she tossed an orange in the air and then caught it as it came back down.

"What do you know about Dr. Salt?" Wyatt asked.

"Not much. He's quiet. Not married. I heard he transferred from a hospital in Boulder, Colorado before coming to San Francisco," Laura said. "He's an attending in the emergency room. James talked to him once or twice. Said something about Salt graduating from an Ivy League school."

"Maybe you can get some more information about him at the hospital," Wyatt suggested.

"Of course. It's my day off and I'm going to still end up going to San Francisco Memorial. They're going to think I'm dedicated or crazy," she chuckled.

"What about all the things that Sam said?" Lucy spoke up.

"Well, I think that . . ."

Wyatt's words were cut off by a knock on the front door. The three exchanged glances. "You guys expecting anyone?" he asked.

"No. I got it," Lucy said, jumping down from her seat and disappearing down the hall. She failed to hesitate in the foyer and pulled open the front door without pause. Despite the frequent demonic attacks and suspicious interlopers, Lucy always proceeded with fearlessness. Nothing hitched her steps, nothing held her back, and nothing succeeded at truly scaring her; yet.

"Hey," Melinda greeted her cousin.

"Hey," Lucy said. "You selling cookies?"

"No, just here to join you," she answered.

"Well, we could use another brain; trust me," Lucy replied as she widened the door, allowing Melinda to enter.

"Who is it?" Wyatt called from the living room.

"Mel!" Lucy answered as the two proceeded to join him and Laura.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Laura asked her cousin as Melinda dropped to a seat next to her.

"Chris called actually," she said.

"What? To come babysit us?" Wyatt chuckled.

"Something like that," Melinda answered. "Apparently he was worried you guys wouldn't get any work done…"

"Well, we've made plenty of progress," he said.

"Really?" Melinda asked.

"We're in the brainstorming process," Laura replied.

"They've been playing with fruit for an hour," Lucy said.

"You've been on your computer for an hour!" Laura argued.

"I can't believe Chris didn't trust me," Wyatt grumbled.

"Okay, let's just try to move forward with this," Melinda cut in. "What do you have so far?"

"What don't we have?" Laura sighed. "If it's at all possible, we have too many leads to follow."

Wyatt nodded in agreement and Melinda chewed on her lower lip. "Well, how about we just break this down? I may not be a witch extraordinaire or particularly stellar with my demon knowledge, but I can at least help you start the problem."

"Star the problem?" Lucy repeated.

"Well, it's a problem, isn't it? One with variables, missing pieces, all connected, and equal to one answer?" Melinda clarified.

"Exactly," Laura nodded. Wyatt remained dumbfounded in his seat, banana still in hand.

"And math nerd that I am, I solve problems for a living," Melinda smirked. "So, just maybe I can help with this one. Uh, let's see, do you guys have a whiteboard or something?"

"I think we have an old corkboard in the garage," Lucy said, already moving from her place in the kitchen.

"That'll work," Melinda nodded. "And we need some paper, markers, yarn?"

"Got it," Laura said, departing for supplies just as quickly.

Wyatt's mouth hung ajar as he kept eyes set on his sister. "What?" Melinda asked him.

"Seriously?" he said.

"What?"

"It's my one moment to shine and you come in and whip them into shape like a drill sergeant?"

"Okay, you wouldn't whip a fly into shape," Melinda chuckled. "And secondly don't give me this crap about your one moment to shine. You're the twice-blessed child for God's sake."

"And don't you forget it," Wyatt winked, tossing a grape at her from the fruit bowl.

"Here," Lucy said as she entered, carrying a large corkboard with her. It was nearly five feet long and four feet wide, taking up all the space on the coffee table where she set it.

"Perfect," Melinda said.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the boyfriend or something, today?" Lucy asked.

"We're meeting up this afternoon."

"Boyfriend, huh?" Wyatt said. "You know, I still haven't met this kid…"

"And we haven't met your girlfriend either, Wy," Melinda taunted. "What's her name again? Alex?"

"You can meet Alex when I can meet Jack," Wyatt answered.

"What? A little game of you show me yours, I'll show you mine?" Lucy said. "You know, Wyatt, you're the worst."

"I'm the worst?"

"You haven't brought anyone home, ever," Melinda said.

"There were girls in high school," Wyatt replied.

"Only because mom would want to see your prom date," she argued.

"Here's the stuff," Laura announced as she returned, arms full of supplies. She dropped them to the corkboard and the four eagerly gathered around.

"Okay, so let's outline everything first," Melinda said. "Events, people, places . . ."

"Aunt Paige's death," Wyatt mumbled. The three girls looked at him in slight surprise. He gave a modest shrug. "It's what started all this."

Laura nodded and in neat capital letters wrote it onto an index card. _PAIGE'S DEATH_. "What do we know about it?" Melinda asked them.

"It was the Brotherhood," Lucy answered.

"No more detailed than that. About the actual event," Melinda clarified.

"Two darklighters," Wyatt elaborated. "Three demons."

Melinda nodded to Laura who wrote the details in smaller letters under the heading.

_PAIGE'S DEATH_

_2 darklighters. 3 demons._

_December 23, 2032_

With a heavy heart, Laura pinned the paper to the center of the board. For a pause the foursome stared at the item before Lucy cleared her throat. "What's next?" she said. Without a word Laura grabbed another notecard and wrote again:

_THE BROTHERHOOD OF THORN_

She pinned it to the right of the first card and Melinda carefully took a piece of yarn, connecting Paige's Death to The Brotherhood.

"Add another for the son," Wyatt said.

"A son?" Melinda repeated.

"He's the head of the Brotherhood. He's the son of the Queen," Lucy explained. Laura complied, writing another piece to the puzzle: _HEAD OF THE BROTHERHOOD._

"Make one for Aliah," Wyatt said.

"And Cole Turner," Lucy put in.

"And the Source."

"And Dr. Salt."

"Okay, everyone slow down a minute," Laura sighed as she continued writing with the marker. She coded the board rather simply. Events were in black ink and demonic foes or people were in red. Melinda helped to connect them all with the yarn, making a massive intersection of related ideas and leads.

Quite quickly a portion of the board was full. Going down the center were the two focal points of the dilemma. _PAIGE'S DEATH_ was at the top and directly beneath it a card for the source was created.

_MALUM_

_THE SOURCE OF ALL EVIL._

Connected to Malum was _THE BROTHERHOOD OF THORN. _And pinned to the board and connecting from that card were two more; _THE HEAD OF THE BROTHERHOOD _and _COLE TURNER._ A card reading only _ALIAH_ was connected to "the head of the brotherhood" and also stretched across to connect with Malum. All in all, it was a twisted and intermingled display of evil. But at least for once, the ideas seemed a little clearer.

"What about Dr. Salt?" Melinda asked. "Where does he go?"

"We don't know yet," Laura said. "That's why I'm going to the hospital today to see if I can pull up anything on him."

"I'll go with you," Lucy offered.

"And I'll try to get more details on the rest of these," Wyatt said. "I brought the Book from mom's. Maybe it has something on Aliah or Malum…"

The group's attention was soon garnered by the abrupt ring of the doorbell. "Again?" Lucy groaned.

"Don't tell me Chris sent someone else to check up on us," Wyatt sighed.

"I'll get it," Laura told them with a roll of her eyes, leaving the trio behind. She rolled up the sleeves of her sweatshirt as she went, sliding along the hardwood in a pair of socks. It was a rather casual weekend, with the relaxed feel she hadn't embraced since long before their demonic troubles. The bell sounded again before she reached the door and with ease she slowly pulled it open.

"Hey."

Her eyes widened at the sight of the visitor and she tried to keep her mouth from falling open. "James?" she said.

"I'm sorry to drop by like this, but you've been hard to get ahold of lately," he murmured. His blue eyes were troubled and as the breeze flapped his canvas jacket, he gave a grim smile.

"I'm sorry," Laura sighed. "I guess things have been a little crazy."

"Always are," James smirked. "Listen, can we talk?"

"Uh sure. Just let me grab some shoes," she said. "Is everything all right?"

"You tell me."

Laura swallowed hard, dreading the coming conversation as she laced up her running shoes by the door. She carefully called over her shoulder, "I'm going out! I'll be back!" she told her cousins and sister. Before any of them could protest she swiftly stepped out of the house, slamming the door closed behind her, following James for a walk.

* * *

Joey fiddled with his napkin, unable to stand the awkward tension any longer. Kate sat across from him, nursing an early afternoon beer, confirming that perhaps she really couldn't stop. He cleared his throat. "So, what are you going to do now?" Joey asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Now that you aren't a whitelighter…" he explained.

"Oh. Well, I guess I haven't thought about it," Kate replied. She seemed unaffected by the question and only took a long chug of her drink. "I can still help with other things. I may not have powers but I can cast spells and scry and . . ."

"You can't do that all the time," Joey reasoned.

"Why not?" Kate challenged. "Besides, we still haven't exactly solved mom's murder, so that project will keep me occupied . . ."

"It's not a project," he said. "And Kate, I don't know if it's healthy that you're so set on getting back at whoever killed her."

Kate's eyes seemed to flicker with frustration but she kept her gaze trained on her glass. She traced a finger along the frost, drawing senseless circles along the cold surface. "Why can't you just leave me be?" she asked.

"Because I'm worried about you," Joey replied. "And I know that everyone else is treating it like the elephant in the room, but you have a problem Kate."

"I don't have a problem."

"You can deny it all you want," he said. "It's still there."

"Is this why you wanted to have lunch? So you could ambush me?" she growled.

"No," Joey backpedaled quickly. The last thing he needed to do was piss Kate off enough to prevent her from getting to the manor for the intervention. There would be plenty of time for confrontation but now was certainly not it. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything…"

"I'm not stupid, Joe," Kate told him, glaring up to meet his eyes. "I know what everyone has been saying about me…"

Joey's stare widened slightly. The prospect that she already knew their plans had him sweating. "What do you mean?"

"You all keep stifling me. You keep asking what's wrong and the truth is you're just making everything worse. I don't want to talk," she explained bitterly.

"We just want to make sure you're all right," Joey said in secret relief.

"Well, don't," Kate snipped.

Interrupting the duo was the arrival of their lunch. Joey gave the waiter a kind nod and Kate cleared her throat. "Do you think I can get another one of these?" she asked, gesturing to her nearly empty glass.

"Of course…"

Joey watched with apprehension as the waiter departed. "What?" Kate asked him.

"Nothing," he said. "I mean, kind of early for that, don't you think?"

"It's noon," Kate said.

"Yeah," Joey mumbled. "Yeah it is. You know, you could always go back to school. Have you thought about that?"

"No," she answered instantly.

"Why? I thought you liked school."

"It was all right. I mean, if it wasn't for mom and the scholarship, I don't think I would've gone to college. School's boring. Besides, what would I study? I have a degree in anthropology. Last I checked there weren't many wanted ads for an anthropologist."

"You could work in a museum or something," Joey shrugged.

"And I thought school was boring," Kate scoffed. "Hard to go from whitelighter and witch to museum curator."

"You miss playing?" he asked her.

"Playing what?"

"Volleyball," Joey answered with a chuckle. "You know, the sport you used to love? All-American? Scholarship at San Francisco State? Ring any bells?"

"Yeah," Kate shook her head. "I mean, I guess I don't miss it that much."

Joey frowned slightly. Before he could speak in confusion, insisting that she always longed to play again, at least from what he remembered, she spoke up. "What about you? You miss playing baseball?"

"Every day," Joey sighed. "If I hadn't blown out my damn knee, sometimes I think . . . well, I don't know. I guess I'd be in the same spot I am now."

"Which is?"

"Not knowing what I want to do with my life. I knew I couldn't play ball forever. I was a damn fine shortstop, don't get me wrong, but I knew I wouldn't make it to the big leagues or anything. But now that I'm about to get my degree, I don't have the slightest idea what I'm going to do," he smirked. "So I guess were both unemployed and directionless."

"Something like that," she nodded. "I mean, there has to be something you can do with a degree in psychology. What do you care about?"

Joey shrugged. "I want to help people," he told her. "I know that much. I just don't know how I want to do it."

"Well, you know if dad was here, he'd be pushing you to be a cop," Kate chuckled.

"You think?" Joey asked with surprise.

"Just a guess. Who knows what they'd be like if they were here now. I drive myself crazy trying to come up with an answer," she mumbled. Her brother's face softened with sympathy and she avoided his gaze. Kate quickly finished her beer and proceeded to drink from the other.

"I think they'd just want us to be happy," Joey said gently. He reached across the table and placed his hand on top of hers. "And they'd want us to take care of each other."

"I don't need any taking care of," Kate smirked. "I'm the oldest. You're the one who needs to be watched baby brother."

"Whatever you say," he replied. "But one of these days you're going to realize that people care about you too much not to help."

* * *

Content and secluded in silence, Sam kept her stare trained on the jade grass. The backyard wasn't particularly large or anything out of the ordinary, but had served its purpose during childhood. The Manor, though Piper and Leo's home, was in truth a place every niece and nephew called theirs. Far too many thanksgivings, birthdays, and dinners, had been shared at the place for it not to be considered everyone's. It was energized by memories. There were tears and laughs. First steps, first teeth, first broken bones, and first demons. It was home because it held everything in one place. The good and the bad. And today, it would add one more event to its collection. One Sam dreaded with every fiber of her being.

She sat on the back porch, squinting against the white glare of the sun, desperate to gather her composure before the day reached its climax. Joey would arrive with Kate within the next hour and already she harbored only apprehension. Perhaps it wasn't too late to turn back. Perhaps they could pretend that a problem didn't exist. Perhaps for once in their lives they could be normal. Of course, believe it or not, for once, this was normal.

Chris, Lila, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo were already gathered inside. Everyone knew their parts or at least had some idea of what they were going to say. It was an awkward process, but according to Phoebe one they needed to follow. If they weren't firm, certain, and rehearsed the entire fiasco would be even more chaotic than it probably already would be.

For whatever reason, Sam couldn't think of what she would say to Kate. While everyone thought in the living room or kitchen, she left for air. It seemed impossible to be speechless when the truth was she had so many things to say to her twin. She was resentful and disappointed and betrayed and sad. But now as the moment to release all the feelings came closer, Sam felt small and unsure. If only she could be strong. If only she could take care of her family. If only she could be more like her mother. Or better yet, if only her mother were there. Surely she would know what to do. Paige would get Kate back on track. She always could.

But now it was just Sam and she feared she didn't carry the same composure or influence.

"How's it going kid?"

The rattle of the backdoor followed the voice and Sam didn't need to turn around to confirm who it was. Despite being an entire year younger, Lila had always affectionately called Sam "kid." She was quiet as her cousin sat down on the wooden stoop next to her, far too troubled to pay Lila any mind.

"This is going to work. You don't have to worry," Lila told her.

Sam chewed on her lower lip, gaze still aimed straight ahead. "Maybe I don't want it to work," she mumbled.

Lila opened her mouth to ask the obvious but then paused. After a lifetime with two sisters and in their recent bout of bonding, she felt she understood. "I know this can't be easy," Lila said.

"I don't want to do this to her," Sam whispered. Lila placed a gentle hand on her cousin's shoulder.

"You're doing the right thing."

"I feel like I'm betraying her."

"You're helping her," Lila replied.

Sam shook her head, sniffling back tears that had yet to spill. "I wish she was here…" she sighed. "I wish mom was here. She could do this."

"So can you," Lila told her gently. "You're strong, Sam. Just like her. Don't doubt yourself."

"Sometimes I don't feel like it," she said. "It's hard when the easy thing and the right thing aren't the same thing."

"I know you love Kate too much to not do the right thing. That will give you strength enough to follow through."

"Everything is just so wrong," Sam mumbled. She ran a hand down her face. "It shouldn't be like this."

"Yeah, well, we never make things easy for ourselves in this family," Lila sighed. "If fighting demons isn't enough we always find a way to fight each other."

"Or ourselves," she scoffed.

"Yes, that too," Lila chuckled. She wrapped an arm around Sam and gave her a careful squeeze. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll get back to you after this entire ordeal is done with," Sam replied.

"Well, today may be about Kate, but we're here for you too," Lila said.

"Thanks," she nodded.

"Come on, let's go inside. Aunt Piper always bakes when she's nervous, so there's sure to be something to eat…"

Before Lila could lead her to the door, Sam stopped her. "Hold on," she said.

"Yeah?" Lila asked, coming back to her cousin's side.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Just between us?"

"Of course, Sam."

"I need your opinion as a Cupid," she said uneasily.

Lila raised an eyebrow, obviously intrigued by the prospect. "Sam, if you want me to help you find . . ."

"No, it's not that," Sam nearly laughed. Lila was always desperate to meddle in the love lives of their family. "It's just . . . is it at all possible that the wrong person is actually the right person?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can someone who doesn't seem to be the "right choice" actually be the one you're meant to be with?" she asked, hot with embarrassment.

"Love doesn't discriminate," Lila shrugged. "People fall in love with the wrong person all the time."

"But can the wrong person be your true love, even if they're wrong?"

"Why can't you just ask me what you want to ask me?"

"Because I can't," Sam huffed. "You know, forget it, okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn't mean to upset you," Lila replied.

"You didn't. It's just pointless anyway."

"Sam . . ."

"Lila, seriously, let's just focus on the intervention," she quipped, flinging open the door and entering the manor with haste. Lila's eyes remained wide in confusion as the barrier slammed shut on her face. She gave an exasperated sigh before carefully following after. It was certainly shaping up to be a long day.

* * *

Their strides worked in perfect unison, like mirrors of one another as they glided down the sidewalk. Only the crunch of their shoes against the pavement interrupted the solitude that embodied their walk. Still, despite its sense of tranquility, tension hovered in the air between them.

"What did you want to talk about?" Laura finally asked.

James was quiet for a moment, slow to bring his gaze to hers. "Tell me what's going on Laura."

She swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, when did you stop telling me things?" James nearly choked out. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "When you're not working a shift you're always busy. You suddenly move in with your sisters and you seem to avoid me like the plague . . ."

"I haven't been avoiding you." Laura argued.

"Well, I certainly don't seem to be a priority."

"You're jealous because I've been spending time with my sisters?" she snapped.

"No! No, I'm frustrated because you're completely blocking me out. I'm your boyfriend, Laura. We've been together for a year and not once did you ever act like this. You always told me what was on your mind and what you were dealing with. We were in a good place and in the last month and a half you've completely changed!"

"James, it's hard to explain but . . ."

"It's not hard, Laura. Do you want this relationship or not?" he asked pointblank. They both stopped walking, facing each other with rage in their stares. His blue eyes darkened to a hurt sapphire and Laura's usually perky auburn gaze flickered with a deep brown. The street next to their path was loud with traffic and a semi-truck sped by with a deep drone as it went.

"I can't believe you would ask that!" Laura finally shouted, hardly audible above the noise.

"How can you blame me when you act like you don't want to be with me?" James protested with his arms out at his sides as if he had run out of all possible explanations.

"Are you really that insecure?"

"I want you to tell me the truth! I want you to tell me what's going on!" he yelled.

"And I want you to trust me!" Laura shouted. She folded her arms tightly across her chest, turning on a heel, and stomping down the sidewalk. James growled as he followed after her.

"How am I supposed to trust you when I know you're not being honest with me?" he asked. He grabbed her by the shoulder, forcing her to turn and face him. "Huh? How would you feel if you knew I was lying?"

"There are just certain things that I can't tell you."

"That's bullshit," James shook his head. "You expect me to stand here and take that?"

"If you care about me, you will," Laura said.

"That's the most manipulative, selfish . . ."

"I'm not cheating on you! I'm not hiding a love child, I'm not doing anything illegal, and I'm not being physically or emotionally unfaithful!" she insisted. "I'm not doing this to hurt you, James. I want us to work. But for that to happen, you have to accept that you can't know everything about me."

James shook his head, hands on his hips. He was hurt and Laura regretted the fact that she seemed to be responsible for his state. They had been building to this argument, so she shouldn't have been surprised, but it was difficult none the less, no matter how many times she played it out in her head. It was messier like this. With the emotions, and the pain, and the lack of understanding, it was all going against plan. Laura watched as he swallowed hard, lowering his gaze to the pavement in order to avoid her auburn eyes.

"That's not the type of relationship I want with you," James finally whispered.

Her heart stopped. It wasn't the light flutter that he usually caused her, but instead one of terror. Surprisingly, it wasn't fear that he was after her secret or even that he was upset. It was fear at the prospect of their courtship closing. Fear of losing James for good. She realized it wasn't what she wanted to face.

"We have a chance at something, Laura," he continued. "In fact, I know what we have is real. But you're hiding something and you're holding onto it so desperately, that you can't hold onto me."

"James . . ."

"It would be different if it was some small secret or it didn't make a difference in our relationship, but it does," he said. "You've changed Laura. You don't tell me things. We can't move forward if I can't know you."

"You know me," Laura told him frantically. "James, I love you. And I know you love me. We can work this out if . . ."

"No, you see, that's where you're wrong. This is something that _you _need to work out. And until you do, maybe we should take a break," James said. His voice wavered, and she could sense that it took all his will power to say the words. Already she could feel the lump hardening in her throat and she shook her head in protest, unable to form the words.

"No," she replied. "No, I don't want to take a break! I don't want to lose you."

"You don't think this is hard for me? I don't want to do this either, but I think it's what we both need," James told her. "We can't take the next step until this is worked out."

"And what is the next step?" Laura asked, sniffling as she made eye contact with him.

"I'll wait until you know the answer," he said.

A painful silence followed his declaration and Laura looked away, refusing to allow herself any tears. She kept her arms folded across her chest, swallowing down sobs in desperation. James stared at her, gaze tormented with sorrow and regret.

Neither of them wanted this. That much was obvious as they stood on the sidewalk, afternoon traffic whizzing by them on the busy street. The worst part was that perhaps it really was what they both needed. In fact, that made it even worse. It was one of those times when want and need weren't the same. When the right thing and the easy thing were worlds apart.

"We don't have to do this," Laura whispered.

"Laura . . ."

"You want to be with me, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I do!"

"And I want to be with you," Laura told him. "We can figure out a way . . ."

"We had our chance to figure out a way," he murmured. "And we couldn't."

"So you want to give up?"

"I want to give us some time to figure out what we want," James said. He stared into her eyes, meeting a gaze that shimmered with sentiment. Laura's form remained rigid and defensive, like a small child attempting to resist timeout. The softness of her face conveyed a deep forlornness. It was one of the few cases when the eldest Charmed One, the oldest Halliwell daughter of the next generation, proved vulnerable. James reached out, tracing a gentle finger down her cheek. "I love you."

"Then don't do this," Laura whispered.

He frowned and with a step full of regret, turned on his heel, swiftly starting down the sidewalk. Laura remained in her place, watching him with anguish, and filling with a new resentment for her new life.

* * *

It was the first time in his life that Joey viewed the manor with such dread. In most occasions it was a place that represented celebration and family and security. It was the one place they could all feel safe. The one place they could depend on for refuge.

Now as the motorcycle cackled up Prescott street and he glided into a parking spot along the curb, Joey inwardly cringed, anticipating quite possibly the most awkward and painful family gathering that had yet to take place in the manor. As the vehicle came to a halt, Kate released her arms from around her brother's chest where she had clung on for dear life. The two removed their helmets, taking a moment to stare up at the house.

"Aunt Phoebe and Chris are here," Kate said.

Joey's eyes widened with paranoia and he swallowed hard. "How do you know that?"

"Their cars are here . . ." she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Are you okay? You've been acting weird ever since we left for lunch."

"I'm fine," Joey insisted as they started for the door.

"Why are we here again?" Kate groaned.

"I still have a few things to move over to the apartment," he replied.

"How is that going anyway? Is Melinda difficult to live with?"

"There are a lot of rules, but I could think of a worse roommate," Joey smirked.

His palm was sweating as he grabbed onto the handle of the front door, allowing Kate to enter in front of him. Judgment time had come. And Kate was entirely oblivious.

She almost walked straight through the foyer, but the corner of her eye caught the blur of a densely occupied living room. The sound of Joey closing the front door behind them was the only one that assaulted her ears. Kate eased toward the entrance of the living room, gaze flickering a little wider with confusion as she realized who was inside. Joey followed behind her, watching as she paused to take in the scene.

"What's all this?" Kate asked suspiciously. Phoebe stood from her seat, standing next to Chris who watched his cousin with apprehension. Lila stood off to the side with Leo and Piper, and Sam sat on the couch. Kate glanced back at Joey who remained silent and unsurprised, providing her the answer that no one would give. Her mouth opened in shock as she turned back to face the family, shaking her head. "No way…Give me a break. This is not happening…"

* * *

_Thanks so much for the reviews! This episode isn't coming as easily as the last but I think the next three chapters should go a little faster. Hope to keep seeing feedback and thanks for reading! ~ Sammy_


	23. Devil's Thunder : Segment 3

"You've got to be kidding me."

Kate was already turning on a heel, desperate to reach the front door. Joey stood in her path, keeping her from leaving the living room. Tension was high and Leo also joined his nephew in making sure Kate couldn't escape.

"Kate just hear us out," Lila said.

"I appreciate all your concern, okay? But you're all over reacting," Kate told them. She forced a chuckle. "I mean, this is ridiculous."

"We just want to have an honest conversation, sweetie," Phoebe said.

"There's a big difference between an honest conversation and an ambush," she replied. Kate folded her arms across her chest, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Maybe you're right. But now that you're here, why don't you come clean with us," Piper suggested.

"What? This is about my drinking?" Kate asked. Everyone was silent and Phoebe gave a nod in confirmation. "So it's gotten out of hand a couple times, all right?"

"It's become a habit, Kate," Chris spoke up.

"Oh screw you, Chris. You pick me up from the bar one time and suddenly I'm out of control?" she scoffed.

"You could hardly stand at the New Year's Eve benefit!" he argued.

"News flash, it was a party," Kate snapped. She glared around at the rest of the family. "I remember all of you toasting and drinking that night too . . ."

"You were belligerent," Joey mumbled behind her.

"And who are you to judge me?" she growled, turning to face him. "What? You're a fucking bartender and you're going to tell me I drink too much?"

"It's my job. It doesn't mean I'm an alcoholic," Joey told her.

"You were with me that night. You haven't said shit to me about any of this, and now all of the sudden you're siding with them and calling me an alcoholic?"

"I'm not siding with them! And maybe I didn't say anything before, but it doesn't mean that I don't see what's happening now!" he argued.

"You know, why don't you think for yourself, Joe? I mean, you're pathetic. What are you? Twenty-two years old, with no direction. You've been living with your mother for four years and you work for your cousins?"

"Come on, Kate, this isn't about us right now," Leo said. "This is about you."

"Of all people, uncle Leo, I thought I could trust you," Kate chuckled. "I didn't think you'd blindside me like this."

"I only want what's best for you, you know that."

"Well, you're not my father!" Kate snapped. "So don't try to act like you are."

"Kate…" Phoebe started.

"And you two, aren't my mother, got it? I don't need a mother. Now all of the sudden, you're going to act like you care?" Kate growled.

"We've always cared."

"You're so busy with your own life and your own kids, that you don't even care that my mother is dead," Kate spat.

"We're sorry we weren't there when you needed us. We tried to be," Piper apologized. "But now we can only try to make things better."

"Well, you can't. All anyone cares about is the power of three, and their jobs, and their boyfriends, and their own families. I've been the only one who cares enough to go after my mother!"

"You can't go after her!" Sam suddenly shouted. She stood up. "She's dead, Kate."

"Oh, how nice of you to speak up, I was afraid I wouldn't get to hear from my own sister. I can guess you're responsible for orchestrating this entire thing?"

"You can fight with us all you want, Kate, but we're not giving up on you."

"Well, I don't need you," she replied coldly.

* * *

The car ride to San Francisco Memorial Hospital was quiet, and as the sisters approached the building, the silence only seemed to intensify. Laura easily garnered them entrance to the establishment with a wave of her identification badge and Lucy struggled to keep up with her sister's strides as she weaved and navigated with efficiency through the halls. It seemed strange that only a week ago they had been there, fearful and desperately clinging onto life. While the memories lingered with Lucy, Laura was far more distracted by something else.

"I don't know how you can stand working in this place," Lucy said, attempting to ease the tension. "All the sick people and the smell . . ."

"You get used to it," Laura replied curtly.

Lucy's eyebrows rose in confusion at her sister's attitude and if it weren't for Laura's quick pace to the employee lounge, she would have surely called her on the behavior. Laura flashed her badge at a laser card reader at the door to unlock it, and then briskly entered, not bothering to hold the door open for Lucy. The area was rather empty, minus a sleeping med student on one of the couches and another doctor desperately refilling a mug of coffee. Laura paid neither of them any attention and instead took a seat in front of one of the computers at a wide counter that bordered one of the walls. She hurriedly typed in her information while Lucy took a seat next to her.

"You worried someone's going to catch us?" Lucy asked.

"No," Laura answered.

"So you're just moving this fast for the fun of it?"

"We have things to do. There's no point in wasting time," Laura replied, focus directed at the computer monitor.

Lucy sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"What happened with James?" Lucy pressed.

"It's none of your business," she said.

"You've been in a pissy mood ever since you came back from your walk..."

"Mind your own business."

"This is my business!" Lucy raised her voice. She blushed, quickly glancing over her shoulder, only to find the same med student fast asleep. When she faced Laura again, she met an icy glare. "You're my sister."

"What goes on between James and I is our business."

"That's where you're wrong. Laura, we're the power of three. If something is bothering you or stressing you out, it affects Lila and me too," Lucy said. "And aside from that, we're family, not strangers."

Laura shook her head, finally looking away from the computer. "I'm just not used to sharing I guess," she told her.

"Well, we're your sisters. If you can trust anyone, it's us," Lucy replied. "You don't always have to bottle everything in. You can tell us what's going on and we're not going to judge you. It's okay for us to be close."

"I'm used to keeping everything to myself. If something goes wrong at work, you keep it to yourself. And when I was a kid, I just always thought as the oldest, I had this obligation to keep a strong face for you and Lucy. You two didn't need to know my problems. You were the youngest. You still are. You're supposed to come to me with your problems, not the other way around."

"We don't need you to protect us, Laura. We protect each other," Lucy said. "And if you can't be honest about how you feel with us, how are you ever supposed to be honest with anyone else?"

"Is that supposed to be some sort of insight to my problems with James?" Laura asked.

"No. Why?"

"He knows I'm not being honest with him."

"About what?"

"What do you think?"

"Oh," Lucy mumbled. "Well, that sucks."

"Yep."

"I wish I had some more stellar advice to shed."

"That's all right. I'm at a loss too."

"Well, at least I know why you're in a bitchy mood now," Lucy sighed. "I should probably warn Lila."

"We're spending some time apart," Laura continued.

"Maybe it's a good thing."

"I love him, Lucy. I don't want this," she mumbled.

"Well, it could work itself out," Lucy shrugged. "I mean, look at aunt Paige and uncle Henry. She had to come clean to him eventually too and he seemed to take it well."

"There's no guarantee that James will be as perceptive."

"You know who you should talk to about this?"

"Don't say it . . ."

"Lila. She is the . . ."

"Family cupid, I know," Laura rolled her eyes. "Listen, I just started this honest, sharing my feelings thing, so let's take it one step at a time, all right?"

"Fine," Lucy agreed. Her face softened slightly. "You know, I really am glad you talked to me, Laura. I can't remember the last time we ever shared anything like this."

"Thanks for listening," Laura gave a small nod.

"You know, whether you want to admit it or not, you're allowed to feel. You may be the oldest, but you're only human."

* * *

"We've reserved a bed for you at a rehab facility in Pasadena . . ."

"No."

"It's a six week program. You'll be able to talk to a therapist while you're there and . . ."

"No! I don't need it. This is bullshit," Kate nearly shouted. "I don't need rehab and I don't need to talk to anyone. What the hell is wrong with you people? You want to send me away?"

"We want to get you help," Leo told her.

"Well, this . . ." she gestured around toward the people in the room, "isn't helping me! I'm not an alcoholic. I don't have a problem!"

"Then why don't you explain to everyone why your powers were stripped?" Chris challenged. "Why'd they clip your wings, Kate?"

Her face dropped for a moment, but she instantly hardened again with a glare. She aimed it at her cousin and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't need to answer to you," she growled.

"It's because you neglected your charges!" he yelled.

"Fuck you, Chris!"

"You were drunk and you nearly got one of them killed. I was there and so was Joe."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" she shouted.

"You're lucky that none of them were hurt or worse . . ."

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Kate barked. "You know, maybe I have some problems Chris, but I am so glad that I'm not you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Is your life really so disappointing that you have to get involved with everyone else's? Are you really so insecure and unhappy that you have to make sure that the rest of the family is heeding to your beck and call?"

"Screw you!"

"No, screw you! You can go to hell! Why don't you get a life, Chris? Is this family the only thing you have? Is bossing everyone around and following these rules and being an ass the only way you can build your self-confidence?"

"You're a bitch!" Chris shouted.

"Dick!"

"Chris, it's okay . . ." Phoebe said.

"No, it's not okay!" he shouted. He would have completely lost it if Piper wasn't keeping a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Kate asked him.

"Kate, come on, knock it off," Joey told his sister. "Putting everyone else down isn't going to make this easier for you."

"We understand you're angry, Kate," Piper said.

"Angry? You don't have the slightest idea! So don't act like you understand!"

"Piper and I know what it's like to lose someone that you care about," Phoebe told her niece.

"You think that's why I'm mad?" Kate laughed.

"Yes, I do," Phoebe nodded calmly.

"My mother's dead. End of story," Kate said. "We don't need to talk about how awful it is. Save me the speech on grief and mourning."

"Whether you acknowledge it or not, this behavior is directly related to your mother's death, Kate," Phoebe told her.

"Wow, great observation. Maybe you should start your own private practice," she replied sarcastically. "You can say whatever you want, but it's not going to change anything."

"You're right, it's not," Piper agreed. "We can't change anything until you agree to get help for yourself."

"We're not doing this to hurt you," Lila added.

"I can help myself," Kate said.

"Really? You want to tell us how you plan to do that?" Joey asked.

"How about it's none of your fucking business?"

"Kate, you've proven to us that you can't cope by yourself," Phoebe said. "We know the Elders took away your powers because you have a drinking problem."

"The Elders took my powers away because they have a grudge against our family! They're old, out of touch, bias jerks who only stand in the way of us promoting good," Kate insisted.

"That may be true, but you aren't going to get your powers back until you stop drinking," Chris told her.

"It's a free country, and I'm not an alcoholic," she replied. "So I drink. And sometimes, I even drink too much. That doesn't make me a bad person . . ."

"We're not saying that you're a bad person," Lila said gently.

"Then why are you attacking me? I screw up a few times and this is what I get?"

"Kate . . ."

"I don't need this! I don't need any of you! If you thought ambushing me like this was going to work, you were wrong!"

"Where are you going?" Piper asked, watching as her niece turned on a heel, prepared to force her way toward an exit.

"I have rights. I can leave whenever I want," Kate growled, attempting to find a way past her brother and uncle who remained firm in their positions.

"You're not leaving," Joey told her.

"Get out of my way."

"No."

When she shoved, Joey carefully held her back, and Leo attempted to move her away. "Let go!"

"You're staying here!"

"Fuck you!"

"Kate!"

"Joey, don't hurt her!"

"She's out of control."

"Just let me leave!"

"Stop!" Sam screamed above the madness. The movement, even Kate's, came to a halt. Gazes shifted and stopped until they were on her face. She stood warily, unsure but adamant. A lump was swelling in her throat but she swallowed it down with haste. Sam waited, heart in knots and palms sweating. She didn't want to do it but she knew she had to. And she was certain as Kate turned to face her, that she knew it too.

* * *

The patter of fingers on the table top seemed to be all that Malum listened to as he leaned back in his leather chair. He drummed his hand against the dark mahogany, uninterested and not afraid to show it to those who spoke. The long table of the chamber was nearly full, and the Source of All Evil sat at the head. Aliah was next to him, filing her nails and yawning as the meeting proceeded.

"And that is why the Romanian Coven of Warlocks, while in agreement with the cause, will not join the requested concessions of the Source . . ."

"Are you finished?" Malum sighed.

"Yes, sir, I think I rest my case," the warlock nodded. Long black hair tumbled down his shoulders and he stood with a well-pronounced frame. His skin was pale from years of living in the Underworld. He awaited Malum's response with apprehension.

"So, you're telling me, your people don't want to join us?"

"Yes."

"I'd like to tell you what I think about that," Malum said. He glanced at his wife. "Aliah, would you care to do the honors? You look bored darling…"

"Well, I am," she moaned. "I don't know why you give any of them the time of day."

"To demonstrate that I am a reasonable man," he replied, glancing to the warlock. "Right?"

The warlock nodded and Aliah only rolled her eyes. "Can I do it now?" she asked.

"At your leisure dear, but we do have other things to attend to at this meeting," Malum sighed.

Still obviously annoyed, Aliah proceeded to conjure a flaming red ball of fire and before the warlock could react, quickly aimed and released. In an instant the man was dissolved into ash. There was a surprised coo around the table and Malum smiled.

"Is there anyone else here who would like to tell me why they don't want to join our allegiance?" he asked. A few demons shimmered out of the chambers and he nodded in satisfaction. "I'm so glad negotiations were so civil . . ."

"If this is what we're here for, you're wasting our time," a man rumbled from the other end of the table.

"I believe you were the one who wanted to meet Nex," Malum replied.

"It seemed coming here was the only chance we had at talking with you," Nex hissed.

"Well, I am the Source, so I think it's my prerogative to choose who I meet with and when and where I do so," he said.

Nex rolled his eyes, gritting his teeth in frustration. Sitting next to him, his comrade appeared just as agitated. "We've had just about enough with your disrespect and disregard for protocol!" he yelled.

Malum only smiled at the demon's rage. "Ignis, I never thought I could have this effect on you. I'm flattered, really," he grinned.

"You have turned the Underworld into . . . into . . ."

"Into what?" Malum asked. "Last I checked this is exactly what you asked me to do."

"You were never supposed to become the Source!" a third demon shouted. He sat with Ignis and Nex, wearing the same robes as his companions.

"Ah, and now the truth comes out," Malum sighed.

"You had one job and you failed to do it," Nex said. "That's all Contemno means…"

"Is that true Contemno?" he questioned. The demon was silent and Malum shook his head. "You asked me to get the gemini potestatis stones before she did. I eliminated her. What more could you want?"

"The stones!" Ignis growled.

Malum gave a shrill laugh, causing the table to fall silent. He glanced at Aliah in amusement. "Did you hear him?"

"Yes, I did," she nodded.

"Delezar, did you hear him?" Malum continued giddily.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"Because it sounds to me like you three are trying to give me orders!" he shouted. The marble chamber echoed loudly with his words. Several of the demons jumped at his anger. Jack swallowed hard as he waited, though his mother remained unfazed.

"We're the Triad," Contemno told him.

"And I am the Source of All Evil! Last I checked, you are second in command," Malum spit. "And you want to know why I'm the Source? Because I am the only demon around this God forsaken place with enough sense to instill order! You three are simply cowards!"

"You wouldn't be where you are if it weren't for us," Nex replied.

"Well, your theory is half right. If you three idiots hadn't hired me to find the stones, I wouldn't have killed a Charmed One in the first place. And if I hadn't done that, then I certainly wouldn't have risen to power. So thank you. Thank you for being so lazy and scared," Malum said. "It's your own fault that I'm in charge. You were the ones who wanted to keep it a secret that you were alive!"

"We thought we could be more effective if the Charmed Ones were unaware of our presence," Nex sighed.

"And now it doesn't matter. The Triad is just a prop, nothing more. You lack all authority and the truth is people don't want to follow you anymore! I've built an empire!"

"You're young and foolish!" Ignis shouted. "This is not some human business operation! We are demons!"

"Well maybe it should be more like a human operation! There's a reason why they always win." Malum growled. "But not now. And I'll be damned if I start taking orders from the Triad. I am the one in charge. You will answer to me!"

Ignis' eyes were bright orange with his fury and Contemno placed a calming hand on the man's back. In the meantime Nex shook his head. "You may be ahead now, but you'll learn like we all have before, that it's only a matter of time until the tables turn."

Malum only glared. "You can find those stones on your own," he said. "I think I'm more compelled to spend my time and energy ruling the Underworld."

"Suit yourself," Nex smirked. He glanced to his comrades. "Let's go."

Simultaneously the Triad shimmered out, leaving the table of demonic associates silent. Malum chewed on his lower lip in frustration and Aliah quickly leaned forward, massaging his shoulders. "They're cowards," Malum said. It was unclear whether he was assuring only himself or those at the table.

"Are you sure you want them as enemies?" Jack asked.

"You're having enough difficulty with one project, Delezar. Why don't you just focus on your own business, will you?" Malum grumbled.

Jack went quiet, averting his gaze from Malum's. "Don't worry about the Triad, darling," Aliah told her husband. "We don't need them."

"Of course we don't," he nodded. He glared over at Jack. "So, tell me, how much longer are you going to stall?"

"Stall what?" Jack asked.

"Your attack on the Halliwells," Malum groaned. "You know, can you at least tell us which one you're sleeping with so we can help you move past this…"

"I don't need any help. The time will come soon enough," Jack told him. "The Brotherhood is busy making other advancements anyway. You have us stretched thin enough, trying to convert the outer factions and rogue covens. My men are tired."

"Please, they're demons."

"You can't expect us to take care of business wiping out everyone who disobeys you and make progress with the Halliwells," Jack reasoned. "I shouldn't have to remind you that the Brotherhood is not some grunt army. We're getting sick of killing demonic scum. It's a waste of our time."

"Funny you say that, Delezar, because you've been doing such a terrible job, I've hired some outside help."

"To do what?"

"Well, since you can't close things with the Halliwells, I thought I'd send in an extra pair of eyes and ears."

"I told you, I have it under control, I don't need help," Jack replied. "Who is it?"

"An assassin of sorts. I needed someone to kill Maxwell Salt . . ."

"Why? Why kill Salt?" he stammered.

"He's a loose end," Malum explained coldly.

"He's your friend."

Malum chuckled, "Delezar, you're hilarious. See, I knew you wouldn't have the stomach to do it yourself."

"I just don't understand why Salt has to die."

"Of course you don't," Malum replied. "You should go Delezar. I'm losing patience and I rather not humiliate you in front of all these people and your mother."

"I think you've made two mistakes today."

"And I don't care what you think. Now go."

Jack only glared. He looked at his mother who remained obedient at Malum's side. Then without another word, he shimmered out of sight.

* * *

Melinda sat quietly at the dining room table. The corkboard of clues covered one half of the surface and she busied herself writing on a notepad. Pacing about the kitchen nearby was Wyatt. He read from the heavy Book of Shadows, effortlessly carrying it open in his hands. "She's a Mistress of Power."

"Is that an actual title?" Melinda asked.

"She marries and mates with strong upper-level demons," Wyatt elaborated.

"So she's like a gold digger except instead of money, she's power hungry?"

"Essentially," he nodded.

"What else do we know about Aliah?"

Wyatt scanned the page, pursing his lips before speaking again. "She has several children and has had several husbands. It looks like she was at one point the mistress of Zankou as well as Shax."

"She has an interesting taste in men…" Melinda raised an eyebrow as she scrawled the information down. "Do we know who any of her children are? Maybe one of them is the Head of the Brotherhood."

"Many of them have died or been vanquished," Wyatt said. "Others don't seem to be worthy of mention. The only living ones we know of are two daughters and a son."

"What's the son's name?"

"Delezar," he answered.

"Could he be our guy?"

"Even if he was, there's no other mention of him in the Book."

"Maybe that's a good thing."

"Just because he doesn't have a reputation doesn't mean he's not a threat," Wyatt shrugged. He yawned, slamming the Book shut and placing it on the counter. "We've been at this for an hour straight. Let's take a break. You hungry?"

"I actually have to go meet Jack soon," Melinda sighed.

"You guys sure spend a lot of time together…"Wyatt said. Melinda avoided his gaze as he sat down at the table next to her. "I know Chris and I can be a little tough on your boyfriends but we just want to protect you. After all, we only have one baby sister."

Melinda smirked. "I know. You guy are always looking out for me. I'm lucky. Sometimes, I feel guilty."

"Guilty? For what?"

"That you guys are always doing things for me and protecting me and I don't give you anything in return," she said.

"Mel, are you kidding me?" Wyatt laughed. "Just because you don't show how much you love us in the same way we show you we love you, doesn't make it any less. We're there for each other in different ways. That's what makes this crazy family work."

Melinda smiled, nodding in agreement. "You always know what to say, don't you?"

"I try," he said.

"You have to tell me how you got like this," Melinda said. "I mean you certainly never became this calm and steady by watching mom. And dad is great, don't get me wrong, but he's not near as optimistic or relaxed about everything. Is it all the meditating? Something in your diet? Because trust me, I could benefit from a less tense way of life."

"I guess it all happened a long time ago," Wyatt told her. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, yeah the meditating and the zen, those are all things I picked up because they were consistent with my philosophy but they're not responsible for changing me."

"Maybe it's the wisdom of age," Melinda winked.

"Perhaps. I was a pretty cocky kid growing up," he sighed, shaking his head.

"Who can blame you? Anyone with as much power as you would have a big head. Which is why you're such an anomaly."

"Anomaly?" Wyatt laughed. "I don't know about that. But if you really must know, it all changed when I was sixteen. That's when mom and dad told me about what happened when I was a baby. How Chris came back from the future because I had turned evil…"

"Yeah, that story still confuses me," Melinda shook her head. "There's no way that you could ever become like that…"

"Well, apparently I did," Wyatt shrugged. "And knowing that….knowing what I could become, well, it changed me. It put things in perspective. It made me realize what was important. And that the power, being Twice-Blessed, isn't just a gift but it's a responsibility. The responsibility to make sure I never let my power consume me, because if I do that, evil wins."

"I think if anyone could handle it, it's you," Melinda smiled, patting his hand. "We're all really proud of you, Wy."

"And now you're making me blush. You better get going," he replied. "Don't want to keep Jack waiting."

"I'm not trying to hide him from you and Chris," she told him as she gathered her purse. "I just don't want to be too optimistic with this one."

"You deserve to be happy, Mel," Wyatt said. "If you like him as much as I think you do, he must be a pretty good guy."

Melinda smiled as she squeezed his shoulder and kissed the top of his golden locks. "I'll see you later. Good luck with all this."

"Thanks for your help!" he called after her, listening as the front door clicked closed. He gave a long stretch, standing from his seat and shuffling about the kitchen. Though not the most exciting day of demonic research, it at least felt as though they were making some progress. He made his way for Paige's desk in the corner, in desperate need of another pen. Part of him was uncomfortable, rifling through his dead aunt's things, but it seemed being in the house and seeing it full of new life was enough to make the transition a little easier for everyone. It was almost like Paige was still with them. As if she was watching over them while they desperately rummaged for clues and scribbled notes.

He fumbled through the top drawer unsuccessfully and quickly pulled open the next. When he again couldn't find what he was looking for, he proceeded to yank another. Though unable to spot any markers, his attention was soon caught by a folded, yellowed piece of paper. It was parchment and if he wasn't mistaken, the same paper used in the Book of Shadows. He carefully analyzed the note, his brow furrowing as he looked it over.

It was undoubtedly a page from the Book. Its left edge was torn and the dark ink was the same used for other spells and information. In cursive bold letters at the top it read: **GEMINI POTESTATIS STONES. **Wyatt chewed on his lower lip, shaking his head. He glanced toward the ceiling, nearly questioning Paige in the heavens.

"Either you just left us a clue or you were up to something none of us knew about . . ." he said. "Always making things interesting, aren't you aunt Paige…"

* * *

"There's nothing outstanding in these files," Laura sighed as she slammed yet another stack of paperwork shut. She shoveled the documents back into the file cabinet in which they had come from and ran a hand through her hair. "There are no malpractice suits, no suspicious cases, and no board hearings. He's as clean as a whistle."

"So he's not our typical mad scientist or evil doctor?" Lucy asked.

"Not from the evidence here. Maybe we're coming at this wrong. Maybe he's on our side," she mused.

"Well, he did provide an antidote and save the entire human race from extinction," Lucy shrugged. She turned back to the computer. "There's some stuff online about him…"

Laura took a seat next to her sister at the computer and stared at the monitor. "John Mulam?"

"It's his roommate from college. They both attended Harvard University. That's where Salt got his medical degree."

"How'd you find that out?"

"I just searched for Salt's former residences and found him listed at an apartment in Boston. Mulam's name was under the same address…" Lucy explained.

"Mulam…" Laura repeated under her breath. "That name sounds familiar."

"Maybe because it's Malum backwards," Lucy said dryly.

"Oh," she mumbled in reply. Her eyes widened. "So you think that Salt's a demon?"

"Well, wait, because I found more," Lucy told her as she clicked open another window. An online news article filled the screen from the Colorado Daily. "You were right about him being from Colorado. Apparently he had a wife and children . . ."

"They all died," Laura mumbled, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"It was a fire. He was the only one to survive. Less than a year later, he moved here to San Francisco," Lucy said.

"Maybe he needed a new start."

"Maybe he killed his . . ."

"I think that's a pretty loaded accusation," Laura shook her head. "I know this man. I work with him. He's a good doctor. He's a good person . . ."

"Grief does things to people," Lucy shrugged.

"Maybe Malum got to him when he was vulnerable," she said. "And maybe he just couldn't follow through with the virus . . ."

"Or he's still working for Malum," Lucy replied. "It's sad but we can't trust him."

Laura nodded in agreement. "I think I should talk with him."

"And ask what? Are you working with the Source of All Evil?"

"Why not? We have nothing to lose," Laura said.

"Unless he really is a demon and he decides to kill you."

"In which case I have backup," she replied. "We have to get to him before Malum does."

"Laura, don't start getting attached. This isn't some charity case. If he's gone, he's gone. We're not going to try turning him back to good because he had a rough life."

"I wasn't thinking that…" Laura muttered.

"It's the doctor in you. You can't help or fix everyone, all right? Let's just take this for what it is; another suspect and another clue."

* * *

The living room was silent and as rare as the moment of peace was, Piper Halliwell couldn't find it in herself to pause and enjoy it. She stood anxiously next to her youngest son, heart breaking while she watched the unfolding scene. So far the intervention was disastrous, granted according to Phoebe, most events like this never went smoothly. With a family as outspoken as theirs it was no surprise that this would be a fight. After all, Kate was probably more like Paige than any of her sister's other children, and the Paige she knew would never go down easily. Kate was no different. Whether she knew she was wrong or not, she wouldn't budge. She was headstrong and stubborn and it seemed this battle was only moving up a steeper hill.

"I'm not letting you leave," Sam told her sister. She stood with defiance and dignity, placed at the center of the room, trembling but refusing to crumple. This wasn't Sam. At least, this wasn't who she ever thought she could be. Standing up to her sister. But she knew that she had to.

"You're unbelievable," Kate said.

Joey and Leo watched as she turned away from them. Still, they kept firm in their places, not willing to let her slip past in case she changed her mind.

"I can't stand by and watch you ruin your life anymore," Sam said shakily.

"Don't be so dramatic," Kate scoffed.

"I see you every night, Kate. We live together! I see the empty bottles. I listen to you slur your words. I watch you stumble around the apartment," she continued. "You can't tell me that you don't wake up every morning and the first thing on your mind isn't that you need a drink. And now that the Elders have taken your powers, it's only gotten worse."

"It's my life," Kate said.

"This isn't the life you want," Sam replied. She swallowed down the lump forming in her throat, praying that the tears would remain locked behind her auburn eyes. "I know you're struggling, Kate. I see it in your face. I see it in your eyes. I hear you when you have nightmares. You stare off for twenty minutes without even realizing the time has past . . ."

"No, you see, that's where you're wrong. It's where all of you are wrong. You don't know what I deal with every day. You don't know what I saw or felt! You don't have to live with the things that I do!"

"But I lost her too!" Sam shouted, cutting her sister off. Tears sprang from her eyes but she remained in control. It was a Sam none of them had seen. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. "She was my mother, too. And even though I wasn't there that day, I feel that pain, Kate. Joey and I have to wake up every day and realize that she's gone. But you know what's really unfair? That we not only lost mom, but we've lost you too. You've abandon us Kate. You abandon us every time you pick up that bottle…"

"Don't guilt trip me. . ."

"You know it's true," Sam said coldly, her lower lip trembling with a sob. She again refused any release of emotion and used everything in her to keep her voice strong. "You're being selfish, Kate. I know it's painful but you can't numb yourself to this any longer. It's not going away. You can't drink away your feelings forever."

Kate shook her head. "I don't need this. I don't. Why don't you get off your high horse, Sam?" she barked. "I'm leaving . . ."

"No you're not," Sam told her. The words were definite and firm and Kate glared.

"And what are you going to do to stop me?"

"You walk out that door and I'll change the locks…"

"Sam . . ."

"Joey, no. And if you come back to the apartment, I will call the police," Sam continued. "I'm not going to ignore this or enable you any longer. You're not going to live at the Manor, you're not going to live with aunt Phoebe, or with Joey or with the girls. This is it, Kate."

"That's fine," she stammered. "That's fine! I don't need you!"

"And where do you expect to stay? Huh? You haven't had a paycheck for five years. You haven't worked a job other than being a whitelighter in your entire life. So you can't tell me that when you walk out that door, you have a plan. You won't have anywhere to go or anything to your name . . ."

"Some sister you are then . . ."

"Kate, I'm doing this because I love you!" Sam shouted. "I'm mourning and I'm hurting as much as you are. I miss mom every second of every day and I've lost my best friend! But I'm here. And I'm dealing with you and I'm willing to risk losing you if it means you go back to who you were! Tell me, what part of that isn't about how much I love you?"

There was a deafening silence. Tears rolled down Phoebe's cheeks and Joey sniffled, running a hand down his face. Lila retreated to a seat and Leo placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder. Piper and Chris watched with gentle frowns. Kate stood silently, face void of sentiment as she stared at her sister.

"This is it," Sam told her. "You can get help or you can lose everything you have left. We can fight all you want, but I'll be damned if this doesn't stop today."

* * *

_All right! Still trucking this thing along. Thanks for such supportive reviews and other slackers out there who are reading, please just give me a little something! I love hearing from all of you and I appreciate you reading. I'll be honest, I got some inspiration for this one from Brothers and Sisters (actually a lot of this story kind of gets it's vibe from that show, so you should check it out). Also a HUGE THANKS to Rosslyn Verity for helping me out this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed and can't wait to hear what you thought. Thanks! ~ Sammy_


	24. Devil's Thunder : Segment 4

She knew he was off the moment she arrived at his apartment. Sure, Jack could tend to be on the rather awkward side; after all it was his nervous nature that made her oddly enough feel at ease. But that afternoon he was far more anxious than usual. He stammered, glanced frantically at the clock, and though he did his best, couldn't seem to keep focused. Rather than spark any jealousy, it only worried Melinda. No matter how desperately she tried, she couldn't feel what was wrong with him.

In the beginning her inability to read Jack's emotions as she did everyone else's was a godsend. It was refreshing to spend time with someone and not have to feel every hitch in their attitude or pull of their heart. But now, as she realized what a rarity it was, her gratefulness was turning into suspicion. Jack was different, that much was obvious, but he apparently different in more ways than one. Different in a way that brought Melinda pause. A pause she wouldn't dare tell her cousins or brothers of.

"Are you all right?" she finally asked.

Jack's bright gaze met hers with a nervous jolt. "Why?"

"You just seem distracted," Melinda said carefully. She traced a hand along his wide shoulders, attempting to draw him away from whatever caused his tension.

"I guess I am," Jack mumbled. The pair had been lounging on the couch, hardly watching the program on the television set. Her small feet were propped on his lap and one of his large hands was on her knee, from where he sat. "I'm sorry. There's a lot going on at work and . . ."

"You don't have to explain anything to me," she told him. "As long as you're okay."

He frowned slightly, doing his best to mask the sentiment that threatened to flash across his face. Instead he busied himself by rubbing one of her feet with his nimble hands. "You know I care about you, don't you?" Jack asked.

Melinda's brow twisted in confusion. She gave his shoulder a tender squeeze. "Of course I do," she replied. "Unless of course there's something you mean to tell me . . ."

"No, it's not that at all. Because I do. I care about you very much, Melinda," he said. Sadness streaked his eyes as they met hers. She may not have been able to empathize with him for whatever reason, but she could still read a face. She was about to inquire about his state once more but he continued before she could. "I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"I know, Jack," Melinda nodded. "Where's all this coming from?"

"I just want you to know," Jack told her gently.

"I trust you," she said. She traced a finger down the side of his firm jawline and he could've melted beneath the touch. "And I know you, Jack. I know you're a good guy."

"I don't want to screw any of that up," he mumbled. Guilt shrouded his face and he was forced to look away from her once more.

"I wish you would tell me what's wrong," Melinda replied.

"Don't worry about me, all right?" Jack requested. He forced a pitiful smile before moving in for a kiss. Their embrace was tender and careful as if they were both searching for each other in the sensual contact. Melinda tried to hang on for a pause longer before he pulled away. Jack grabbed her hand into his own and pressed his lips to her palm. "I have to take care of some work."

"I know," she nodded, slowly rising from the couch with a sigh. "Listen, now might not be the best time to talk about this, but I was thinking that you should meet my family."

Jack's eyes widened. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah, I think so. They all keep asking about you," Melinda nodded. A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. "Why? You scared?"

"Scared?" Jack chuckled. "Of course not."

"They can be a little ruthless," Melinda said as she paused by the front door.

"So I've heard," Jack replied, though the words held a double truth; one he wasn't willing to reveal. He bent down and gave her one more kiss. "I'll call you, all right?"

"All right. Don't work too hard," she told him. He opened the door for her and before she could exit, a new visitor stood at the entryway. Jack's face instantly fell, though Melinda's attention was diverted from her boyfriend and far more captivated by the man before them.

"Sorry, is now a bad time?" he asked.

Jack swallowed down hard. "No, Melinda was just on her way out," he answered. "Melinda, you remember Dr. Salt, don't you?"

She could hardly force a nod. She did her best to keep her mouth from falling completely ajar and attempted to control her heart rate. "Yes," Melinda managed. "What . . . what are you doing here?"

Tension circled heavily about the trio. Jack squeezed his eyes shut for a barely noticeable moment, silently cursing himself for letting this happen. Dr. Salt remained baffled and Melinda only existed in anxiety. She had to protect Jack from this man. And yet she couldn't reveal to him why. "Max is an old friend," Jack said.

"I told him he owed me a drink after I saved his life," Max added, trying to help the obvious lie. "How is your brother?"

"What do you mean how is my brother?"

"I was just wondering how he reacted to the antidote," Max soothed.

Melinda nodded. "He's doing well."

"Good."

"Jack, I thought you have work to do," Melinda said, turning to face him. She would keep Max away if her life depended on it.

"I guess I can postpone it for Max," Jack sighed. "It's not every day I get the chance to see the busy doctor."

"I won't distract him for too long," Max assured with a smile that didn't make Melinda feel any calmer.

"Right . . ." she mumbled. "Well, I guess I better go."

"I'll call you tonight," Jack said.

With hesitation and dread in her steps, Melinda left the pair, full of adrenaline as she listened to the door shut behind them. She frantically pulled the cellphone from her pocket and eased around a corner to dial. Her first thought was to call Wyatt or Chris, but at this point in her relationship with Jack, she wasn't quite ready for her brothers to come charging down his front door. After all, she wasn't exactly sure what she was dealing with. So she called the next person she could depend on. The cousin she idolized and knew she could turn to. "Laura? Yeah, I need your help . . ."

Dr. Maxwell Salt sighed as Jack shut the door behind them, nervously bolting it shut. "What did I tell you about that girl?" Salt reminded him.

"Don't worry about Melinda. You have bigger problems on your hands," Jack said.

"Is that your cue to explain why you called me here?" Salt asked.

"Malum is going to kill you," he replied.

"Of course he is."

"No, it's serious this time. He hired a bounty hunter or assassin or someone to do the job," Jack told him.

"Someone else to do his dirty work," Salt rolled his eyes.

"This is serious, Max," he said. "I don't know why you aren't near as panicked as I am."

"Because this was coming sooner or later," Salt told him. "Granted, I thought it would be later. Did he say why he wanted to kill me? Is it because I gave up the antidote?"

"He says you're a loose end," Jack explained as he went over to his desk in the corner. He opened the top drawer and pulled out a packet of paper and a thick envelope. He handed them to Max. "Here."

"What is this?"

"A plane ticket," he answered. "It will take you to a small island in the Caribbean. There's more than enough cash in that envelope to keep you going for a while too."

"Jack, I appreciate the gesture, really, but do you think I can hide from them?"

"Long enough to buy us some time."

"Time?"

"Time for me to convince Malum to not kill you."

Salt shook his head. "Jack, this isn't something you can stop."

"I won't let him kill you, Max. You didn't do anything wrong," Jack insisted.

"I didn't do anything wrong? I sold my soul to the devil," Max said.

"You saved thousands, maybe millions of people with the antidote," Jack reminded him. "And you did it at risk to yourself. You're not a bad person, Max. You're not evil. Don't give up…"

"I gave up a long time ago," he murmured gently. "I gave up the minute my family died. I died with them…"

"Max . . ."

"You're a good man, Jack. Too good to be a demon," Max told him. "If a person born as evil as you can still choose good, perhaps there's some hope out there."

"There's plenty of hope, Max. Hope for you too. Now just let me . . ."

"I appreciate it," Max told him as he backed away to the door. "But I think this is where my story ends. I can only hope you get the ending you deserve as well."

Jack watched helplessly as the doctor exited and gritted his teeth in frustration. He angrily slammed his balled up fist onto the nearby table, splintering the wood and nearly breaking it in half.

* * *

_This was it. _

_Could it really be where it all ended? Could this really be her? _

It was as if she had suddenly jerked awake from an awful dream. Except instead of waking to a more comforting reality, the nightmare only continued.

_God, she felt small._

Her breathing was shallow and her legs felt like rubber beneath her stiff form. They were all staring at her. Faces she recognized, marred by a terror she was responsible for.

_How had she gotten there?_

Nothing felt real. Surely, what she was experiencing wasn't real at all. But it had all caught up with her. And it collided with such veracity that she could hardly stand. Sickness swelled in her stomach. It had to be some terrible mistake. But then she remembered. She remembered all the drunken nights. She remembered how when she didn't have her hand on some sort of alcohol, she only wished for some. She remembered how she ignored the calls of witches in need. How she stood before the council of Elders and lost everything she ever valued.

_She felt like a child._

A child who had been caught stealing from the cookie jar. And no matter how desperately she lied and denied the fact, she couldn't. She had lied so intensely that she even for a moment, a frightening moment at that, believed it. But she couldn't. No, not as she woke from the self-induced coma of denial. And like a child, she had nowhere to go. Like a child she was scared and alone and felt like breaking into sobs because there was nothing left to do.

She glanced around the room, slowly locking onto each face that was aimed in her direction. They all frowned. Their eyes shown with pity. Except for Sam. She stood waiting, detached and calm. Kate couldn't think of the words to say to her. In fact, at this point, she wasn't even sure if she could produce a sound. Her mouth opened and then closed and then her lower lip shuddered with a tremble.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. It was husky and weak. She diverted her gaze to the floor because she knew if she received even a glance of sympathy she would break. Kate fervently shook her head and did her best to breathe. The world was closing in around her. It was becoming smaller and claustrophobic. Perhaps because it was disappearing before her eyes; everything she knew was about to forsake her. And she was helpless.

"I . . ." she tried but stopped, only to shake her head again. She took a step back and almost stumbled upon moving. She hadn't realized, but she was shaking now. Trembling like a leaf in a stormy breeze. In the beginning of the intervention, she believed she was the storm. The storm terrorizing everyone's well-being. Only now did she realize she was in it as well. Now as she surrendered, she could feel the icy, powerful, demoralizing force. It was pulling the life from her with each agonizing second. "I'm sorry."

"We love you Kate," Piper told her niece. She was the only one in the room who dared to speak. Everyone seemed to be at a loss. Perhaps in the end, no one expected it to be like this. No one expected Kate's downfall to be so . . . human. "We're here to help you."

"I think . . . I think I should go . . ." Kate mumbled. "I just need some time . . ."

"We need to deal with this now," Piper said gently. "Today."

Kate kept her gaze on the floor. Ironically enough, it was the same room, the same floor, where it had all started. Where Paige had died. Where Kate had given up hope and sanity and everything she knew. The day she failed not just her mother but her family. The day she failed herself. A single tear peeled from her eye. "I don't know why I did this," she whispered shakily. "I don't know how I got here."

Joey, though clearly tired and emotional, managed steady assurance for his older sister. "All that matters is that you get out. And we'll help you," he said, voice cracking involuntarily.

"This isn't me," Kate whimpered.

"We know, honey," Phoebe told her.

More tears quietly fell and Joey eased in behind her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Kate quietly turned into him, burying her face into his chest and breaking into still silent but more intense sobs. Joey secured a hold around her, carefully resting his chin atop her head. "I'm sorry," she cried into him, muffled against his shirt.

"It's all right," Joey said, hugging her tightly as if she were a small child. "It all right . . ."

Piper gingerly placed a hand on her nieces back, rubbing comforting circles along her shoulders, as if simply to let Kate know that she was there. Tears continued rolling down Joey's cheeks as he held her. In all his years, he had never seen his sister like this. Never had he seen Kate so vulnerable. Never had she needed him. Of course there had never been a moment like this.

"What happens now?" she asked between whimpers.

Everyone in the room exchanged glances. It was as if with the influx of emotion, everyone lost sight of the original plan. Phoebe carefully cleared her throat. "The rehab facility is expecting you," she said gently. "They'll take good care of you."

The last thing she wanted to do was leave. She was vulnerable and weak and the only people she could imagine being with were her family. Kate slowly pulled away from Joey's safe hold, sniffling as she attempted to stop the tears. "Can't I stay here?" she asked meekly.

More silence radiated in the living room. Perhaps they all felt the same way Kate did. Sending her away now seemed cruel and painful. Today had been an emotional breakthrough. And now they were going to send her off with a packed bag to face an addiction she had only now come to terms with. Joey kept his hand on his sister's shoulder, giving it a tender squeeze. He seemed to be waiting for someone to confirm the drab truth. Piper swallowed hard. "We can't provide you with the level of help that they can," she told her. She hated herself for doing it. She wanted to take Kate into her arms and keep her and hold her. If anything, sending Kate away was just as hard on everyone else.

"I don't want to leave," Kate confessed softly.

"It's only six weeks," Lila said.

"Easy for you to say," she sniffled in response, with a pathetic chuckle.

"We'll visit as often as we can," Chris added. "Granted, I don't know if they'll have enough space for all of us."

"I know it hasn't seemed like it lately," Leo started behind her, "but things are going to be okay. It's going to get better again, Kate. It may not be easy, but if anyone can do it, I know it's you."

Another tear fell as she nodded, again doing her best to suppress further sobs. "It's not easy to admit you have a problem. Or to get help," Phoebe encouraged her niece. "You're doing a brave thing."

"I don't feel very brave," Kate replied with another sniffle. She slowly looked up, eyes stained red from tears. Faces of sympathy met hers. Except for Sam. Since giving her staid ultimatum, Sam had been silent. She kept rigidly in her position as if still disbelieving of her sister. As if ready to take up the fight one more time. She stared at her twin as if she were a stranger. Kate carefully cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Sam."

Her first response was silence. Though the conflict was almost resolved, Sam still remained in the crossfire. Yes, she was grateful and pleased with Kate's choice. Of course, that didn't mean her resentment disappeared in a flash. It didn't mean that their relationship was fixed or that she could trust her sister again. This was only a step. Despite her bitterness she forced a nod and cleared her throat. "It's okay," she said. There was no embrace or softness following the statement. Only further tension existed between the pair.

"You're things are all packed and ready upstairs," Piper stepped in. She couldn't blame Sam, but Kate was too fragile to put in the middle of another argument. "We don't have to leave yet. You can change, take some time to yourself . . ."

Kate gave a slow nod, carefully pulling her saddened gaze from her twin. Leo took over, wrapping an arm around her and leading her to the staircase. When the two disappeared Chris gave a long sigh. "So, now what?" he asked.

"I don't think we really planned past this part," Lila mumbled.

"We support her in any way we can," Phoebe said.

"And what about all the damage she caused?" Sam spoke up tersely. "Are we just going to let that go?"

"We got what we wanted Sam. She's agreed to go to treatment," Lila said.

"So now we just forgive her for everything? She was selfish and hurtful and . . ."

"Getting mad at her while she's down isn't going to help anyone," Joey told his sister.

"Right, wouldn't want to hurt Kate's feelings," Sam rolled her eyes. "We'll just forget ours for her sake."

"There will be a time to express how you feel to her, Sam," Phoebe said. "But I don't think it's now. Not when both of you are emotional and . . ."

"It doesn't matter," Sam replied. "You're right. We got what we wanted . . ."

Silence overtook the room as Sam departed for the kitchen. The remaining five bowed their heads in further grief and Joey groaned. "Should I . . ."

"No," Phoebe told him before he could finish. "Just give her some time . . ."

* * *

Melinda anxiously fiddled with her fingers, pacing incessantly in the small hallway. Part of her was tempted to barge back into Jack's apartment and confront Salt herself. A more rational side of her kept her where she was, urging her to wait for back up. Back up that seemed to be taking far too long to arrive. Just as she was considering calling her cousins again, Laura and Lucy appeared in a pink flash.

"Oh thank God," Melinda sighed.

"I don't think anyone's been so happy to see me," Lucy said. "I already like this Charmed thing . . ."

"What's going on?" Laura asked her cousin.

"Dr. Salt is in Jack's apartment," Melinda told her anxiously. "And I wasn't sure what to do. I mean, Jack said they were friends or something but maybe he doesn't know who Salt is."

"Or he does," Lucy mumbled suspiciously. Melinda's face fell slightly but she did her best to cover her doubt.

"Either way, we should probably intervene," Laura reasoned. "Granted, I don't think bursting through his front door is the most subtle way to do things."

"How about you go knock and then give us the signal," Lucy said to Melinda.

"The signal?"

"Like a thumbs up or something," Lucy replied.

"Okay, but only if I give the signal…"

"Whatever, just go," Lucy said, nudging her to the door. She and Laura carefully watched from around the corner, their heads popping out on top of one another.

Melinda's heart raced as she lifted a fist to the door. Already she had thought of the worst case scenario; Dr. Salt was going to kill Jack. He would be caught in the crossfire of her crazy Wiccan life. It was one of the many fears that would keep her awake on long nights. The idea that she would never have a normal life. And for that she would never find true love.

She was still trembling when she knocked on the door. She strained to listen for any commotion on the other side. Upon hearing nothing, she thought perhaps it was a good sign…or it could just as easily be a bad one.

"Melinda?"

He was frazzled. She could tell that much as he pulled open the door. It was hardly widened enough for his face to fit through and meet hers.

"Is everything all right?" he asked.

Melinda could hardly speak. At least he was alive. At least everything seemed fine. Sure, he was a bit out of sorts, but it was much better than the alternative or any scenario she had played out in her mind. She uneasily cleared her throat.

"Everything's fine . . . I just . . ."

Before she could finish, her eye widened and her mouth dropped. Jack was motionless in front of her, clearly frozen by some sort of temporal stasis that was certainly not her own.

"What the hell?" she choked.

"Sorry, just had a bad feeling about this one," Laura apologized as she approached, Lucy following close behind.

"So you froze him?" Melinda choked. "I didn't give you the signal!"

"Relax, we're just going to take a look around," Lucy said, nudging open the door and squeaking by Jack's frozen form. Melinda's mouth remained ajar as she looked to her oldest cousin for reassurance. Laura only shrugged.

"Come on, it's just to make sure," she said, giving Melinda a pat on the shoulder before slipping inside the apartment. Melinda gave a long sigh full of trepidation and shook her head.

She glanced up at her motionless and unaware beau. "Sorry about this, Jack."

"He has nice taste for a bachelor," Lucy mused as Melinda entered, shutting the door behind her. Lucy lounged on the sofa, auburn eyes full of vigor. "What is this? Italian leather?"

"I don't know," Melinda murmured.

"I mean, seriously, how much does this guy make? I thought he was a journalist, not a neurosurgeon," Lucy said.

"You can ask him when he's not frozen. Let's just do what we need to do," Laura told her sister. She carefully wondered through the kitchen, peeking under the counters and table. Melinda stood timidly at the front door, uncomfortable with the notion of spying. Granted, if it was for Jack's safety she was willing to make an exception.

Lucy sighed as she came out of one of the rooms in the back. "I'd say Dr. Salt isn't here," she announced.

"Well, maybe there's a clue. Something he left or we could scry with," Laura reasoned as she checked behind the television. Lucy continued to Jack's desk in the corner, pulling open drawers and rifling through papers.

"Hey, don't go through his things," Melinda sighed.

"I'm just looking," Lucy said.

"Yeah, well, it's an invasion of privacy."

"We're not the police. We don't need a warrant," Lucy quipped as she stepped away from the desk. "Here, I'll let you invade his privacy."

Melinda rolled her eyes before moving for the desk. She closed the drawers, only to pause as she prepared to slam the last shut. Lying inside the compartment was a large stack of cash. Her eyes widened as she hesitantly reached out to touch the bundle, simply to confirm that it was real. It must have been near ten thousand dollars stashed away. Next to it was a plane ticket; a one way for the Caribbean. Perhaps the most disturbing item, the one that had her silently gasping, was the shining athame that rested under a few papers. It had a cold, black onyx handle and a sharp blade. There was a symbol carved into the end, one she couldn't quite make out. And suddenly she felt like being sick…

"I'd say the apartment is clear," Laura said. "I didn't find a thing. "

"What about you Mel?" Lucy asked.

"What?"

"You find anything?"

"No," she answered, hastily shutting the drawer. She swallowed hard, doing her best to mask the fact that her face was drained of all color and her heart pounded with harsh anxiety.

"Let's get out of here before he unfreezes," Laura said.

"I'm going to call Wyatt. He can scry for Dr. Salt back at the house," Lucy told her as she pulled out her cell.

Laura gave Melinda a look of sympathy. "Sorry about all this. I guess my senses were a little off. I just wanted to make sure he wasn't in danger."

"I know," Melinda nodded in understanding. "I know . . ."

* * *

Sam couldn't help but fill with further disappointment when she realized for the first time in her life, the attic wasn't going to solve her problems. On more than one occasion, when worst came to worst, fleeing to the attic of the manor was always a sure solution. Whether demons or warlocks or simply the world in general crashed down on them, there always seemed to be a potion or spell or even a little solace in the ancient space. Instead, as she sat on the musty sofa, staring at the worn floorboards, Sam felt no better than she had before.

She did it.

She could be proud of herself for that. She stood up to Kate. More than that, her sister had surrendered. But now that the mourning was done with, there was only anger. Bitterness and resentment all twisted in the fact that Kate once again escaped. And here Sam was, stuck in the same place. Hardly holding up in a world full of inequity and grief.

"She needs you now . . ."

Sam's heart fell all the way to her toes. She scrambled to turn around, though she half expected to find confirmation that she was going insane. Because she could have sworn she had heard her mother's voice.

"Sorry to sneak up on you."

"Mom," Sam gasped. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"You seemed to be having a hard day," Paige answered as she slowly came around the couch. Sam only watched her with wide eyes, still frozen in disbelief. It wasn't until her mother took a seat next to her and reached out to give her knee a tender squeeze did she realize what was happening.

"You're here," Sam choked.

"Yeah, I'm here, Sammie," she nodded. Her eyes glistened slightly but not near as fervently as Sam's, who was quickly lost in tears. Before they could fall she nearly collapsed into Paige's arms, clinging on tightly as if her life depended on it. The embrace was one she had been starved of for months. One she needed more than anything else.

She cried.

That much was predictable. With Paige's secure and warm hug protecting her, she was entirely vulnerable. She gave no attempt to withhold the emotions that bullied her or present a strong façade. Without remorse she whimpered into her mother's chest, pitifully sobbing for everything that was wrong. Tears for Paige's death. Tears for Kate's abandonment. Tears for Joey's near death. Tears for feeling entirely alone. Tears for her world falling to pieces.

"It's okay," Paige whispered, carefully rubbing her daughter's back. Minutes passed in the position, with the pair huddled close on the sofa, silently soothing deep wounds. It had always been like this. While Kate and Joey were often stubborn in showing their feelings, Sam could consistently find comfort in a hug or word of encouragement from Paige. And now as she leaned into her mother, familiarizing herself with her scent and tender touch, the same feeling of solace overwhelmed her.

"I've missed you so much," Sam finally managed, voice still wavering with sobs. Paige loosened her hold on her middle child as she looked up to meet her face. "Everything's been so wrong since you left."

Paige gave a sad nod. "I know," she whispered, gently wiping away one of Sam's tears. "I know it hasn't been easy for you."

"I don't even know what to do anymore," Sam said with a sniffle.

"Yes you do," Paige replied. "You always know what to do, Sam."

"No, I don't," she shook her head. "I'm not like you."

A frown of sympathy pulled on Paige's face. She carefully reached out, tucking a loose strand of Sam's hair behind her ear. "I know you don't always feel like it, but you're very strong, Sam. And these past weeks, when your sister and brother have needed you, you've been there. Strength doesn't necessarily come in heroic deeds or demon battles or even confidence. Strength is when you do the right thing, even when it's not the easy thing to do."

"Then why don't I ever feel strong?" Sam asked. More quiet tears had been falling but she managed to keep the lump in her throat at bay. "I'm scared. And I'm tired and I feel alone. And I want to help Kate, really I do, but I can't help but be angry. Angry at her for leaving me . . ."

"Have you ever considered, that maybe you're not angry at her?" Paige questioned gently.

"What do you mean?"

"You said that you're angry at her for leaving…maybe the person you're really mad at for leaving, is me," Paige said.

Sam's mouth dropped. "No. No, it wasn't your fault . . ."

"I know that, Sam," Paige replied. "But grief is a difficult thing and whether you're fully aware of it or not, I think deep down you're also angry that I'm gone, and that's okay. It's okay to be angry, honey. It's okay to feel as though things are unfair and cruel, because many of them are. It's okay to be scared too…"

"I just don't think I can do this," Sam said hoarsely, hardly able to whisper the words.

"You can do much more than you think you can. You're very brave, Sam. You're smart and dependable and most of all you have a good heart," Paige told her. "I know things seem difficult, but you'll get through this too. And whether you think you can or not, you'll be able to help Kate too."

Sam nodded, though doubts still lingered. She sniffled and forced a painful smile. "I miss you so much," she said.

"I miss you too, baby," her mother replied. "But I'm always here."

"I wish you could stay."

"It's going to be okay," Paige told her. "Really, it is."

Sam nodded with more confidence, for her mother's words were always ones she took to heart. She came in for another hug and Paige gently squeezed her close. Sam closed her eyes, doing her best to hold onto the moment. Desperate to remember the softness of her mother's touch. To remember her scent and the way her heart pounded. To hang onto the smooth crackle of her voice and the way her dark eyes seemed to shimmer like pools of liquid mahogany. For she knew that this moment would keep her going even in the darkest hours of the future.

"I love you," Paige said, pressing a kiss to the top of Sam's head.

"I love you too," Sam murmured into her chest. When she pulled away, her mother was smiling, and part of her forgot that the instant was bittersweet. "Do you really have to go?"

"Yes," Paige sighed. "The Elders probably won't be happy that I came down anyway. We've been at odds ever since they took your sister's powers."

"You should probably go see her," Sam said.

Paige shook her head. "No. You should," she replied.

"But that's why you're here isn't it? To help us…"

"I am helping you," Paige said.

"But Kate needs you as much as I do."

"Right now, she needs her sister," she told her. Paige tilted her head to the side. "I will see her when the time is right, just like when I saw Joey. Just like when I came today."

When Paige rose from her seat on the couch, Sam's lower lip trembled slightly. Her mother reached out, tracing a finger down her cheek. "I'm sorry it all went so wrong," Sam told her.

"There's no need to apologize. There's nothing more you could have done, Sam," Paige said. "I'm proud of you."

"I don't know what I'm doing half the time," Sam shook her head with a pitiful laugh.

"Well, keep doing it," Paige replied, with a smile of her own. Her eyes grew a little more serious. "There are greater things coming. Things that will require all you have…"

"What kind of things?"

"You'll find out in time," she answered before bending down and pecking her daughter on the cheek. When she stepped back, Paige gave one last smile. "I love you."

In an instant she disappeared in a shower of lights, leaving Sam sitting quietly on the couch. For a moment she lingered, listening to the silence, pondering all that had taken place. Then with a heavy sigh and an aching heart she stood, feeling small but the slightest bit stronger. Her steps were lighter as they carried her toward the door. And with new strength, she approached what needed to be done.

* * *

The dark green walls were faceless, yet glared down at her with righteous judgment. Of course, they weren't at fault. It seemed everywhere Kate turned she was forced to meet new friends; guilt, shame, and alienation. Even as she sat alone in Chris' old room, she couldn't help but feel bullied by her conscience. The new wounds of her realization were raw and oozing with emotion, and she could hardly stand it. She wished only to run away. That or to curl into a ball, and shut the rest of the world out indefinitely.

When she heard the door push open behind her, she nearly rolled her eyes. Her aunt Piper had already tried to get her to eat several times before her departure, but food was the furthest thing from her mind. Without turning she mustered as much patience as she could. "I'm okay, aunt Piper," she said.

The door clicked closed and footsteps followed and Kate's eyes widened when she realized the visitor wasn't who she anticipated. Sam gave a tired smirk. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Kate nodded back.

Without a word her twin took a seat next to her on the bed. The two were quiet and an uneasy tension developed between them. Kate weakly cleared her throat. "Is it time to go already?" she asked.

Sam shook her head. "You still have awhile."

"It's like waiting for my execution," Kate mumbled to herself.

More silence followed and Kate anxiously picked at her nails. Sam watched her, studying the worn lines that streaked her sister's face. She was a wreck. Sam didn't imagine she looked much better, but the pale complexion, swollen lips, and red eyes of Kate were like nothing she had ever seen before. Her shoulders were slumped and she seemed frail, as if a gust of wind could knock her over. It made Sam hurt all over and pangs of sympathy soon banged among her insides.

"I'm sorry," Sam whispered.

Kate's head snapped up, gaze shiny with confusion. "You don't have to apologize."

"No, I do," she replied. "I . . . I shouldn't have let it get like this. I should have . . ."

"You didn't make me drink, Sam. I did all this to myself," Kate replied tiredly. It was like a line she had rehearsed in her head. One that lacked luster but beamed with truth.

"But I knew something was wrong. Instead of helping you, I just ignored it. I kept myself busy. I kept going to work and taking care of Joey and mom's things but I never took care of you."

"You shouldn't have needed to take care of me," she said.

"But you're my sister," Sam told her.

There was further silence but no longer that of anger or tension.

"Maybe you weren't there for me," Sam continued gently. "But I wasn't there for you either."

"I didn't exactly let you be there for me."

"I could have tried harder. We both could have," she said. Kate looked away, tears glistening her eyes again. Sam reached out, grabbing onto her sister's hand. "I don't want us to be like this."

"Me neither," Kate whispered hoarsely.

"I miss you," Sam told her. "But most importantly, I forgive you Kate. I don't blame you. I don't hate you. I love you and I don't think you could ever do anything to make me think any less of you."

Kate swallowed down a heavy pit in her throat as she nodded, still avoiding Sam's kind eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry for all the pain I caused."

"It's forgiven."

"I promise I'm going to get better."

"And I promise to help you this time," Sam replied.

"I'm scared. I don't know if I can do it," Kate shook her head with a sniffle. "I know I have to quit but . . ."

"You'll do it, Kate," she told her sister gently.

"How do you know?"

"Because you're strong. You'll do the right thing, even if it's not the easy thing," Sam said. She wrapped an arm around her twin's shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

_All right so this addition was definitely a little rough but I've been dying to move forward with this thing! Thanks for the reviews and please please please keep them coming. I'll do my best to keep the story going and continue to let me know what's working and what's not! Thanks again ~ Sammy _


	25. End of Episode Five

Under the thorny shield of unkempt shrubbery, Wyatt Halliwell peered with eyes squinted against the darkening evening sky. He was going on his second hour of keeping watch on their lead, following Dr. Maxwell Salt to the grocery store, a strip club, the liquor store, and finally the San Francisco Memorial Hospital. It wasn't exactly the most appealing chain of events when considering the physician was supposed to be saving lives, but he wasn't one to judge. Instead Wyatt waited with complete patience, stalking his target with grace and expertise. He ignored the growing stiffness of his neck, the ache of his feet, and the uncomfortable position he kept among the leaves, dirt, and branches. Patience had been poured into the witch's bones and he now put the attribute to good use.

"Hey."

Though her arrival was stealth, Wyatt sensed his cousin without even glancing to insure she was indeed his visitor. As the pink lights fell down around her, Laura found herself kneeling next to her cousin, peering through a small gap between two bushes.

"You took longer than I expected," Wyatt told her.

"Yeah, well, we thought we had found Salt," Laura whispered. "Is he in the hospital now?"

"For the last half hour, yeah," he nodded.

"That's weird…"

"Why?"

"He's not on call today," Laura murmured.

"Yeah, well neither were you and you ended up here," Wyatt smirked.

"Don't remind me…"

"So, what exactly is the plan?" he asked. "Not that I don't like stalking this guy but I was hoping there would be an eventual goal to work up to…"

"You mean you don't have one?" Laura asked.

"You wanted me to come up with the plan?" Wyatt asked with wide eyes.

"I thought that's what Chris sent you for," she hissed.

"Yeah, to help you, not orchestrate the entire thing. You're the Charmed One!" he exclaimed.

"You're Twice Blessed!"

"If we don't have a plan, this entire thing is a waste!" Wyatt told her.

"Shhhhh! He's leaving!" Laura growled, shoving his shoulder. The two cousins went silent, watching with apprehension as Dr. Maxwell Salt slowly slipped out the main entrance of the hospital. "Where's he going?"

"I don't know, I must have left my power of premonition at home," Wyatt quipped.

"You're not being very helpful," Laura mumbled. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"And say what?"

"What if we grab him and then take him back to the house?"

"And then what?"

"We interrogate him?" Laura asked.

"He's not a demon."

"No but he's a walking clue," she replied.

"Okay but . . . what the hell?"

"Who is that?"

Shimmering in front of Dr. Salt's path was a curvy figure, merely a shadow in the dim light but undoubtedly a demon. The entryway was vacant, leaving no other bystanders as witnesses to Salt's encounter. From what Laura could tell, the doctor was hardly fazed by the visitor. He seemed far too at ease with the display of magic to not have been earlier exposed.

"Wyatt, what do we do?" Laura asked shakily.

"I don't know," he whispered.

A long mane of hair trailed down to the center of the demon's back and the voluptuousness of the interloper was exemplified by the tight black leather pants and dark shirt being worn. The Halliwells could at least discern that Salt's "friend" was a woman. The sparse lighting of the parking lot and entrance did little to reveal any other attributes of the figure, leaving Wyatt and Laura caught in a rather useless position as they spied on the pair.

"What do you think they're doing?" Wyatt asked.

"They're just talking, I think. Maybe they know each other . . ."

"Shit."

In a swift movement the woman grabbed Salt. Her arm flew around his throat, nearly paralyzing him in a chokehold. Before Wyatt and Laura could spring into action, an object appeared in the demon's free hand. It caught a sliver of light, allowing a glimmer to reveal a sharp blade. In an instant the knife cut across Salt's throat.

"Oh God," Laura choked, far too shocked to move from her position in the bushes.

"Hey!" Wyatt shouted. He stood, capturing the attention of the demon. Before he could move to reach her, the woman shimmered out, taking the bleeding Dr. Maxwell Salt with her.

Recovered, Laura rose, hand on her chest as she kept her gaze trained on where Salt was last seen. "Should we go after them?" she asked.

Wyatt shook his head. "No," he murmured. "That's it. Salt's already dead."

"We should've protected him," Laura whispered. Wyatt frowned as he recognized the emotion swelling in his cousin's voice.

_Oh Lord, have mercy on me_

"We couldn't have known," he replied, gently reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. "He could have just easily been for the other side."

"No," she shook her head. "No, I knew him Wyatt. I worked with him every day at this hospital and deep down I knew he wasn't a bad man. We should've been able to save him…"

_Please pull me from this heat_

Without another word she teleported out, leaving nothing behind but a few flashes of neon magenta light. Wyatt bit on his lower lip, a slow guilt warming his insides. And with a heavy sigh, he orbed away, clinging to reason in order to avoid regret.

_My hands are burning and I can't feel my feet_

The sun had long ago set but it wasn't until now that Kate felt so conscious of the darkness. A light breeze tangled her hair and a light speckle of stars peered out from above. Her gaze however was stuck on the bold sign: **Cornerstone Rehabilitation Facility.**

"This is it," she mumbled to herself.

_This wasn't how my life was to be_

Her siblings stood behind her, doing their best to maintain strong facades. Joey was loaded with her bags while Sam carefully approached her twin's side. Together the three of them trekked up the cobblestone path, passing the well-landscaped flowers and greenery, and soothing fountains. If it didn't all represent such a depressing purpose, it would have seemed peaceful. Maybe even beautiful.

Kate was trembling too harshly to pull open the glass door. Instead she simply stood, timidly watching as Sam opened it for her. Her heart raced as they walked through the lobby. The trio went slowly as if on some sort of death march. Together, the three stopped at the front desk.

_Bum bum bum bum, Oh no_

"We're here to check in Katherine Matthews-Mitchell," Sam told the receptionist. Her voice shook with the words and Kate and Joey pretended not to notice.

"Of course, we've been expecting you," the woman nodded kindly. She handed Sam a clipboard. "You'll need to complete these forms. We already faxed the information over to your insurance."

"Thank you," she replied.

"Scott will be out to escort you back shortly," the woman said.

_Bum bum bum bum, Oh no_

An unsettling silence fell as they sat in the lobby chairs. Sam anxiously completed the forms, asking for Kate's signature every few papers. Joey twiddled with his thumbs, his auburn gaze stuck to the grainy carpet floor. And then far too quickly, a door swung open behind them.

"Are you Kate?"

She swallowed hard, nodding hesitantly to the man. Sweat coated the back of her neck. Her head pounded. She longed for a drink. She longed to flee. She longed to cry and hide.

It was time.

_I'm going down with the Devil's thunder, yeah_

"I'm Scott. I'll show you to your room after you say goodbye to your family," he said gently.

Kate nodded again, though this time the lump in her throat grew even harder. Her eyes fell to Sam who was staring at her with seemingly equal dread. As if she too wondered if it was too late to turn back. But they both knew better. It's what made it so difficult.

With weak knees and hopeless eyes, Kate stood. It was perhaps the hardest stand she had ever taken. This was harder than the demons or the monsters. This wasn't something she could fight her way out of.

"I'm going to miss you," Joey told her, forcing a smile as they faced each other. Tears glistened but he kept his buoyant outlook. He would be strong. He would be positive. For at this moment, as with many others, it was all he could do. "I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too," Kate sniffled, embracing him tightly. She rested her ear against his chest, listening to his calm heartbeat for a few moments. Savoring the fact that Joey gave the same hugs as their father had so many years ago. "Thank you, Joey. For everything."

"Don't thank me," he chuckled as they pulled a part. He wiped one of her tears away. "I love you."

"I love you so much," she said, forcing a smile as she dried her eyes. "Visit me, okay?"

"I will," Joey nodded.

Kate pulled in a deep breath. Saying goodbye to her baby brother was painful. And with even more sorrow, she knew Sam awaited her.

_I'm going down_

"I wish I knew what to say," Kate told her sister as she turned to face her.

The tears were visible as they rolled down Sam's cheeks. She made no attempt to hide them. Kate sniffled, hastily attempting to dry her face, though it was of no use. "You don't have to say anything," Sam said. "We're going to get through this, all right?"

"Yeah," Kate whispered with a nod.

Sam quickly reached into her jacket pocket, grabbing a single envelope. "This is for you," she whimpered.

_So throw me some water_

"What is it?" Kate asked, slowly taking the item from her sister. It had her name scrawled on the front in careful black ink.

"It's from mom," Sam answered while more tears fell. "I should have given it to you sooner. She wrote everyone a letter before she died. Uncle Leo gave them to us when we read the will. I'm sorry I kept it from you…"

"No, it's okay," she nodded. "I could use it now."

Sam nodded as well. With tears and sadness they fell into an embrace, clinging to each other tightly. Desperately holding on as if it was the last hug they would ever share.

_Yeah, Throw me some water_

"I love you," Sam said when they released.

"Love you too."

Joey carefully handed Scott his sister's bags, heart heavy in his chest, making it harder to suppress his tears with each thud.

"You can do this," Sam told her.

Kate forced a painful smile and nodded.

"So can you," she replied. "Just do me a favor: Finish what I started."

Sam swallowed hard, knowing far too well what her sister meant. "I will."

Kate's feet felt heavy as they carried her away from her brother and sister. And unable to stare at their gentle faces any longer, she turned on her heel, following Scott with a battered spirit. The only thing she gripped to was the letter in her hand.

_Water, oh no_

As the door closed behind her, Joey released the first whimper. A plump tear rolled down his cheek, marking the first of his long awaited cry. Sam wrapped an arm around his broad shoulder and he sunk his head onto her chest, shrinking in size like a small boy. They were children again. Mourning one more loss.

_You said last time in old Quebec_

"Mother, where's Malum?" Jack asked. He frantically stalked down the marble hallway, his footsteps echoing loudly off the high ceiling.

"He's in his office," Aliah answered. "Why dear?"

"I need to speak with him," he replied tersely. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she quickly scurried after him. His strong arms threw open the large doors to Malum's chambers, his face streaked with determination.

"What have I told you about interrupting!" Malum growled.

"I'm sorry but we need to talk," Jack replied.

Malum glared up from his oversized desk and leaned back in his chair. When he realized Aliah entered behind his step-son, his face soon softened. "Well, I always have time for you, Delezar," he cleared his throat. "How can I help you?"

"You can't kill Max," Jack said.

_Your child of comfort, of guilt and regret_

"It's business, Delezar. He went against my orders. More importantly, he's a loose end. The Charmed Ones will realize his connection to the virus and where do you think that will lead?" he explained tiredly.

"Just send him away. Don't kill him . . ."

Before Jack could finish, the topic of conversation was shimmered in. A woman, clad in leather and with silky brunette locks glared at the men as she dropped a limp body to the floor.

"Oh you're early," Malum grinned at her.

Jack's face fell when he recognized the corpse. A bleeding and lifeless Maxwell Salt was draped across the marble.

_It's no wonder you feel you're going down_

"You killed him," Jack mumbled. He glared up at the woman. She only returned the gesture.

"Jack, this is Bianca Lawrence," Malum said. "She's a Phoenix."

_So I buck up, and back on my feet_

"An assassin witch?" Aliah spoke up, raising an eyebrow. "Impressive."

"I'm only here to collect my pay," Bianca said coolly. "It was hard to fit this into my schedule."

_And the money is good and revenge is sweet_

"Oh please, you were the one complaining that you were becoming bored," Malum told her.

Bianca rolled her eyes. "I may be a detective, but I don't know how much longer I can keep this case going. I have people to report to," she said.

"You don't need to solve the murder. You already know how she was murdered," Malum scoffed. "You just need to distract the Halliwells. Keep them tense enough to make a mistake. They falter under pressure and most especially at the prospect of exposure."

"You mean you've been investigating them this whole time without a case?" Jack asked.

"Very good, Delezar," Malum growled. "You're a quick learner. You know, if you were a better demon, I wouldn't have had to have Bianca kill Max in the first place. In fact, she did such a good job that she will continue helping me infiltrate the Halliwells."

"I will?" Bianca asked.

"The Charmed Ones' whitelighter to be more specific. He's a pain in the ass," Malum replied.

"I'll see what I can do," she murmured before shimmering out. Malum sighed.

"Aliah, shall we go for a stroll?" he asked.

"I would like that," she answered, though her gaze remained trained of her son.

Jack was silent as the two departed. He took to a knee at Max's body, frowning with remorse. His friend was gone. His only friend. With trembling fingers he reached out and carefully pulled down Max's eyelids. It was depressing to think this was how the man's life ended. It was cruel and tragic and far too simple. And as the feelings tormented him, Jack could only dread the idea that he could not be both. He could not survive a dual identity. He could not be Delezar and Jack. He could not be demon and human. He would have to choose.

_But I still wonder about me_

"Hey Jack, it's me. I know you're probably working and I didn't want to bother you, but I wanted to check in. I uh . . . hope everything is all right. You just seemed different today and I wanted to make sure you were okay. If there's anything you want to talk about . . . I mean, not that there would be. I mean I'm not trying to start anything, I just worry about you, and I know you don't like when I do that, but I can't help it. If there's anything I can do . . . I just . . . I don't know what I'm trying to say. Call me when you get a chance. I love you . . ."

Melinda grimaced as she ended the call, silently putting her cell phone back into her pocket with hesitancy. She wished to call him again. She wished to go back to his apartment. There were so many things she needed to know. So many questions that needed answers. For she was beginning to fear she had been missing something all along.

_Bum bum bum bum, oh no_

"Hey, have you seen Laura?"

Melinda nearly jumped at the voice of her oldest brother but managed to keep her composure as she faced him. "Uh no," she stammered. "Why? Is everything all right?"

Wyatt sighed and shook his head. "We lost Salt."

"Lost Salt?"

"He's dead," Wyatt answered.

"What?" Melinda choked. "How?"

"Laura and I were tracking him and a demon showed up. She killed him and shimmered off with the body," he said. "Laura seemed to take it pretty hard."

"Well, I've only been here for a little while. She could've teleported in and I didn't see her. Lila and Lucy are up in the attic with Chris," Melinda said.

_Bum bum bum bum, Oh no_

"Actually, I'm right here," Chris spoke up as he jumped down the last steps to the first floor. He joined his brother and sister with a smirk.

"How'd everything here go?" Wyatt asked.

"Kate's with Sam and Joey on her way to the rehab center," Chris said. "But the intervention was a little harsh, let me tell you . . ."

"I'm sorry," Melinda sighed.

"It's all right. I feel bad for Sam and Joe mostly," Chris replied. "I couldn't imagine if the three of us had to go through that."

Wyatt and Melinda both gave sad nods. "How'd everything else go today?" Chris asked them.

"We made progress," Melinda started hesitantly. Wyatt nodded in agreement.

"Anything on Salt?" Chris asked.

Wyatt sighed. "Salt's dead."

"What?"

"It was just a little while ago. A demon got to him before we could."

"Are you kidding me?" Chris choked. "How could that happen?"

"There was a lot going on . . ."

"He was our only lead!"

"This isn't the end of the line," Wyatt said.

"We did a lot of research. We can pursue another angle," Melinda nodded.

"We needed Salt," Chris growled. "I can't believe this happened."

"It's not like we killed him, Chris," Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Well, you didn't do anything to prevent it either."

"Let's not start blaming people, all right?" Wyatt sighed. "If anything, I'll take responsibility. If anyone could have stopped it, I could've."

Chris bitterly shook his head. "I can't do this right now," he said. "I'm going to get some air."

_I'm going down with the Devil's thunder, yeah_

"What's the matter?" Lila asked the instant her sister landed in the attic.

"Salt's dead," Laura answered.

"What?" Lucy and Lila simultaneously gasped.

Laura anxiously paced over to the Book of Shadows. Emotion swam about her face, but she desperately held it back. "We should have been protecting him; not pursuing him as a suspect. He was just an innocent…"

Lila's face dropped slightly. She glanced at Lucy who only shrugged before striding toward her sister. "Laura, it's okay."

_I'm going down_

"He was killed by demons, Lila," she stammered. "I see him at the hospital all the time and now he's gone. Everyone's going to ask questions and . . . and I know. I know what really happened. I know that we didn't save him."

"Listen, calm down," Lila told her. "You can't blame yourself for this."

"We have to fix it," Laura insisted as she flipped through the pages.

_So throw me some water_

"Laura, there's nothing to fix," Lucy said. "You can't bring him back."

"I know that," she nodded, swallowing down a lump in her throat. "But we can bring _him _back."

Lila and Lucy both scrambled to peer over their older sister's shoulder. "Cole Turner," Lila said.

"We summon him," Laura told her.

"Why the hell would we do that?" Lucy asked.

"Because Salt was our only lead and he died. I won't let that be in vain. We summon Cole and he answers our questions."

"I think you should slow down," Lila shook her head. "You're thinking with your emotions."

"Laura, you've had a long day. Between James and now Salt . . ."

"It's not because of that, Lucy," Laura said. Determination flashed in her eyes. "We all know this is the next best lead we have."

"What about mom? And aunt Piper? I think we should consult them about this," Lucy replied.

"They're not the Charmed Ones anymore," Laura told her. "We are."

_Yeah, Throw me some water_

Chris' knee bounced up and down as he sat on the porch steps, watching the empty street with disenchanted emerald eyes. The neighborhood had fallen into a careful calm and he appreciated the solitude to recollect his mood. He was disappointed with Salt's death but he had been disappointed before. He knew better than anyone that the man's death didn't mean the end of their search. No, that's not what troubled him.

What ate at him were the words he did his best to ignore. The ones he convinced himself were spoken out of anger and impulsiveness. But no matter how much he tried to soothe himself, he couldn't deny that there was also truth in them. _"Is your life really so disappointing that you have to get involved with everyone else's? Are you really so insecure and unhappy that you have to make sure that the rest of the family is heeding to your beck and call?"_

What drove him to near insanity was the idea that perhaps Kate had been right. His duties as a whitelighter and to his family were all that consumed him. Even his job was connected directly to the Halliwells._"Why don't you get a life, Chris? Is this family the only thing you have? Is bossing everyone around and following these rules and being an ass the only way you can build your self-confidence?"_

Who was he without the family? Who was he without someone to boss around or a problem to solve? Was his life really so one-dimensional? She was right. He was insecure and lonely. The demon fighting and bossiness and planning were all just a façade. A mask to hide the fact that he didn't feel half as strong as he acted. That he was weak and vulnerable and just as scared as everyone else.

"Hey Halliwell…"

Chris quickly glanced up, his mouth instantly twitching into a smile when he spotted her. "Detective," he greeted. "Can I help you with something?"

Bianca was silent as she took a seat next to him. Her brown eyes twinkled. There was a softness about her face that made Chris want to melt. "What are you doing out here?" she asked.

_They say sing for your supper_

"Don't you need to read me my rights before you start interrogating me?"

"I'm off duty," Bianca replied gently.

"So what are you doing here?" Chris asked. His heart raced beneath his chest. He longed to hear the answer fall from her lips. The revelation that she wanted to see him. To be with him.

"I don't know," she murmured. Chris slowly nodded his head. "It's a nice night…"

"I want to take you out on a date," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"You heard me," Chris replied. "Will you go out with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

_But they say sing for your pain_

Melinda sighed as she unlocked the door to her apartment. Though she had seen far more eventful and hectic days, the afternoon had drained her. Between research and Jack and Dr. Salt and newfound stress and suspicion, she was exhausted. She needed time to think, though the thoughts seemed to bring more torment than comfort.

As she flipped on the light, she was slightly startled by the sudden movement coming from the couch. Frantically straightening up in his seat was Joey.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he mumbled, turning his head away.

Melinda's heart fell with sadness. Empath or not, her cousin's pain was palpable. "It's okay," Melinda told him. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Joey answered.

_But it won't bring the rain_

Without another word she took a seat next to him on the couch. "You drop Kate off at the rehab center?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "Just got back."

"I know today wasn't easy," she whispered. She placed a gentle hand on his back and traced circles along his wide shoulders. "If you want to talk . . ."

Her words stopped as Joey breathed out a sob. The tears fell quickly and he almost instantly hid his face in his hands. Melinda wrapped an arm around him, gently cooing soothing whispers. Joey whimpered helplessly, surrendering to the long withheld emotion. He collapsed his head onto Melinda's chest and she cradled him in a gentle embrace.

_No it won't bring the rain_

"I don't know why this happened. I just wanted to fix it…" Joey sniffled. "But I can't."

"You did everything you could," Melinda told him. She rested her chin on the top of his head, trying to suppress tears of her own, frowning as she stared ahead. "Sometimes no matter how much we love someone, we can't change them…"

_No no_

"Let's try it one more time…"

"Laura…"

"Just humor me," she grumbled.

The three sisters stood in a circle, hands intertwined. Lucy raised her eyebrows in frustration at Lila who conveyed only neutrality on the manner. The concept was a difficult one. In a way Laura was right. Pursuing Cole Turner was one of their most viable options but simultaneously one of the more dangerous. Attempting to summon him on such a whim was not only impetuous but reckless. It was great that Laura was eager to continue their search, but her motivations obviously stemmed from inner turmoil and guilt.

"I don't think we should be doing this now," Lila spoke up. "We've all had rough days."

"This isn't going to go away," Laura said.

"Which is why it can wait," Lucy put in.

_Oh no no_

There was silence. Laura swallowed hard, her maple eyes turning a dark chestnut. "One more time," she told them firmly.

Lila sighed but cleared her throat, squeezing onto her sisters' hands a little tighter. Lucy rolled her eyes as she too prepared for their chant.

"Magic Forces, Black and White, Reaching out Through, Space and Light, Be He Far Or, Be He Near, Bring Us the Demon, Cole Turner Here."

They paused.

And again there was nothing.

And behind them, with a smirk of amusement, Cole Turner shimmered undetected from the attic.

_I'm going down with the Devil's thunder, yeah_

Sam anxiously chewed on her nails as she paced atop the bridge. Traffic sped quickly beneath her and the stars glimmered above. It was a rather overwhelming sight. In fact, it nearly reflected how disorientated her insides were. Her emotions tossed about in her chest and her thoughts thundered with great pace.

"Sam?"

She quickly spun on her heel, facing the voice with anticipation. "Hey," she greeted.

"What's going on? Are you all right?" Nick asked. The half-manticore took a careful step closer, sapphire eyes sparkling with confusion.

"I need your help," Sam replied.

"I thought you didn't want my help," he said.

"Well, I do now. I need to find my mother's killer . . ."

_I'm going down_

"Sam . . ."

"Kate's gone now. She can't do this anymore so I'll do it for her," Sam explained frantically. Nick's brow furrowed as he tried to understand. "She lost herself trying to find the truth and it would be a travesty to not continue the search while she's unable to. I'll do it for her and I'll do it for us . . ."

"What happened?" Nick asked. His large hands wrapped around her shoulders, forcing her to stand in front of him. Forcing her to look into his concerned face. It took everything in her to keep her composure.

"We took Kate to a rehab facility," she answered him hoarsely. A few tears rolled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I didn't call you here for sympathy," Sam replied with a sniffle.

Nick frowned slightly but nodded, releasing his hold on her. "Right," he said.

"This is what Kate would want me to do."

"Call a demon?"

"Finish what she started," she replied.

_So throw me some water_

"You're going to go after them?" Nick asked.

Sam nodded. "This is my battle now."

"It's dangerous."

"I'll do it alone if I have to, but I could use some back-up," she said. The wind tore through their hair as they stood on the red iron bridge.

"So you called me?"

"I don't care if you help me, Nick," Sam murmured. "But I rather you did."

_Yeah, Throw me some water_

He studied her for a moment. And then with a smirk he nodded. "I've got your back."

_Water, Oh no_

The room was empty. And quiet. Kate silently sat on the twin sized bed, eyeing the ceiling with contempt. Many times she had roamed the Underworld but without a doubt this was hell. Already the sweat seeped from her pours. Her hands shook. Her mouth was hot and sticky. She needed a drink. She needed an escape.

Three hours into rehab and she already felt like quitting. She had already sat through her first group meeting. The orderlies had gone through her things, searching for alcohol and pills like she was a criminal. There was no privacy here. No dignity. There was only her. And only her demons and mistakes provided company.

The letter stared up at her from below. It rested on the comforter with a sense of purpose. And yet she couldn't bring herself to open it. Each time she tried her hand felt heavy and wounded. As if when she opened the envelope she would face her mother. Face her with shame and guilt.

_Bum bum bum bum, oh no_

She didn't just open it. She ripped it. The sounds of the paper tearing was like a vicious harmony. Her fingers fumbled with the pages inside and she struggled to hold them in front of her face. Her eyes glistened with tears. And she held her breath as she started to read.

_Dear Kate,_

_I wish you were reading this letter under different circumstances, but of the many things I learned in my years as a witch, it's that there is never a good time to lose someone you care about. I'm sorry that you're hurting. I'm more sorry that I can't be with you. But I know if anyone can get through tragedy and hardship, it's you._

_Since you were a little girl, you were fearless. You were the kind of child who refused training wheels and nightlights. You wondered without apprehension and embraced adventure. You were perhaps the bravest five year old I'd ever seen and you've blossomed into a woman with as much courage. _

_Kate, I don't think I have to tell you how proud I am of you, but I will anyway. You're already a far better witch and whitelighter than I ever was. You harness great will power and strength. I have complete confidence in your abilities. My only advice would be to remember that it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to feel and to cry. I know you have a good heart, Kate. Use it. Don't be too stubborn or proud. In fact, sometimes the greatest display of strength is a willingness to accept your weaknesses._

_I am so grateful to call you my daughter. I have no regrets. You are everything I could want. And though I'm gone, I don't worry about you. I know with your intelligence, resourcefulness, and audacity you can do whatever you put your mind to. You're a survivor Kate. Don't doubt yourself. _

_I love you and will always be near. _

_Mom._

The letter floated from Kate's grasp onto the mattress. And with a trembling lower lip, she let the first tears fall. Though sobs flourished, the idea resonated as if the words were whispered into her ear by her mother: she could do this.

_Bum bum bum bum, oh no_

* * *

That concludes episode 5! Thank you for reading. I don't think five episodes could really happen without your reviews...speaking of which more are appreciated as this progresses! I leave for school in a few days, so updates might not be as frequent, but I plan on continuing as long as their are people still reading and reviewing. Give me a shout out and let me know what you think! I know there's a lot happening right now and though we've finished things up with Kate, a lot more characters will be facing hardship. As always, let me know what and who you like and what's working! Thanks again and I hope to continue hearing from you ~ Sammy

Song used was Devil's Thunder by Rachel Cantu. I strongly suggest you take a listen!


	26. Episode Six : All My Secrets

Episode 6: All My Secrets

The bar vibrated with each powerful boom of the bass. Low beats echoed from the oversized speakers and neon lights encompassed the dance floor in a dim but colorful hue. People stumbled with drinks, couples whispered in corners, strangers groped, drunken girls laughed at pickup lines delivered by equally drunk guys, and the line outside the door continued to grow. It was a typical night at P3, one of San Francisco's most popular clubs. It was a hot spot for celebrities, tourists, young adults, and enthusiastic Frisco party goers.

Behind the bar Joey filled drinks, a single towel over his shoulder and a light mist of sweat touching his brow. He had been working the bar at P3 since he turned twenty-one nearly a year ago and long ago gotten a handle on the fast pace club scene. With hardly a pause he could complete three drink orders at a time and still keep an eye on the unruly that often rudely reached over the bar or shoved to make their way to the front.

"Thanks for the drink…"

A crooked smirk raised his mouth at the female voice. A mane of blonde hair bounced on her shoulders and with her empty glass she slid him a napkin, her phone number scrawled on the paper.

"I'm Joey," he told her.

"Tracy," she said before sauntering off into the crowd.

Aside from his ability to pour drinks and keep the customers tame, Joey had also mastered the ability to collect digits from a large pool of single women. It was one of the few perks that came with his job behind the bar.

"So that's how you do it, huh?" a familiar voice taunted.

Joey looked down to find Lucy seated in front of him, a skeptical look on her face. He rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a Halliwell get a drink anymore?" Lucy said. "I mean, I know one of us is in the drunk tank but it shouldn't ruin the party for everyone else . . ."

"Do you ever think before you speak?"

"Every time. It's one of my better qualities," she winked. "How's Kate?"

Joey shrugged as he mixed another drink. The two cousins were forced to shout above the noise of the club. "Good as can be expected. It's been a week now. She seems better!" he replied. "Granted, I think if she had her powers, she would have been out of there a long time ago!"

"Can't say I blame her!" Lucy shouted. "Now are you going to get me a beer or what?"

He rolled his eyes, far more occupied with serving the club's paying patrons than his cousin. Lucy glared in return, only to be distracted when breaking through the crowd and huffing into a seat next to her was a familiar face.

"Laura?" Joey and Lucy said in unison.

"I need a drink," she only grumbled in response.

"Coming up," Joey said.

Lucy's mouth dropped open. "What? I just asked for . . . screw you!"

"What are you doing here?" Laura asked her younger sister.

"Can't say I know. Bored I guess," Lucy replied. "Between studies and demons, I guess I neglected my social life."

"That makes two of us," Laura sighed as Joey returned with beers for the sisters.

"Everything all right?" he asked.

"That's a tough question," she answered. "In comparison to our usually dramatic, angst, demon-plagued problems, I guess everything is fine."

"So you're just whining is what you're saying?" Lucy rolled her eyes.

"The good thing is tomorrow is Valentine's Day," Joey grinned with optimism.

"Okay, I'm going to need something stronger than beer," Laura snapped.

Joey's eyes widened. "Sorry. I just figured you and James had plans . . ."

Laura dramatically placed her forehead to the bar and Lucy gave her cousin a glare. His mouth dropped in confusion. "They broke up a week ago," Lucy hissed at him.

"How the hell am I supposed to know? No one tells me anything!" Joey exclaimed.

"Know what?" Chris broke in, easing in behind Joey. "And I hate to be a hard ass but I pay you to man the bar…"

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I was just now learning that Laura and James aren't together anymore."

"Ouch. Right before Valentine's Day?" Chris replied.

"I know, right?" Joey nodded.

"I'm right here!" Laura growled.

Joey guiltily bit on his lower lip before slipping off to fill more drinks, leaving Chris with the girls.

"I'm sorry about the boy troubles," Chris apologized as he straightened his shirt. "I know it can't be easy so close to Valentine's Day."

"Thanks," Laura mumbled, though slightly confused.

"Who are you and what have you done with our cousin?" Lucy asked.

Chris smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look, he's even smiling," Lucy said, nudging Laura who also played into the teasing.

"And he was sympathetic to my romantic life," Laura raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he's possessed."

"We should look in the Book…"

"Very funny you two," Chris rolled his eyes. "If you must know, I have a date."

"A date?" Joey shouted from down the bar.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Good for you Chris," Laura sighed. "At least one of us won't be alone tomorrow."

"Well, I have to make it through the first date before I can count on a Valentine," Chris replied. "Lou, what are you doing?"

"Texting everyone I know," Lucy answered.

"What is this, high school?" Chris groaned. He glanced at his watch. "I better get going. Listen, if you two see Lila around can you tell her . . ."

He stopped as he spotted the third of the sister trio squeezing her way through the crowded club scene, emerging with a wide grin. Laura and Lucy both stared at Chris in confusion before realizing Lila was joining them.

"You have a date!" Lila nearly exclaimed. "Why didn't I know this until now?"

"Because no one knew until Lucy texted every Halliwell in her contacts," Chris rolled his eyes.

"Kate says that you shouldn't get the girl pregnant on the first date," Lucy said, glancing up from her phone.

"Tell her thanks for the advice," he shook his head.

"What were you going to say now that we're all here?" Laura asked.

"That once Valentine 's Day is over we need to get focused on tracking down the Brotherhood," Chris said. His gaze turned more serious as he leaned in closer. "And I think it's time we summon an old demon…"

"Who?"

"Cole Turner," he revealed.

"But we already . . ."

Lila quickly nudged Lucy in the ribs to which her sister scowled in resentment. "Don't you think that's risky?" Lila covered.

"And what about mom and aunt Piper?" Laura asked.

"We'll figure it out, okay?" Chris said. "But for now, I've got to get going. I'll see you guys later. Lila, good luck; I know this is your busiest time of the year."

"Thanks cuz. Have fun on your date," Lila winked.

"Get some!" Lucy called after him before he disappeared into the crowd. Once he was gone she glared at her sisters. "You still haven't told him we already summoned Cole?"

"We're working on it, okay?" Laura mumbled. She finished her drink and waved Joey on for another.

"He's going to be pissed," Lucy shook her head.

"There's not much to be pissed about. It didn't work," Lila replied.

"But it's Chris."

"He wanted us to do it anyway," Laura replied.

"But its Chris," Lucy repeated.

"Okay, I don't want to deal with this," Laura grumbled. "Can we just enjoy a few drinks without any romantic or demonic or crazy talk? Is that possible? For one evening?"

"But that leaves nothing to talk about," Lila said. "Besides, I have good news."

"Good news? Doubtful," Laura muttered.

"Not only have I been successfully preparing couples all over the Bay Area for the most romantic evening of the year," Lila began, "but I also managed to find our young, sweet sister a date."

"God, you make me sick," Laura sighed as she chugged another beer.

"Wait, you what?" Lucy choked in confusion. "I didn't ask you to do that!"

"I know, isn't it great?" Lila grinned.

"No. No, it is not great!" Lucy argued. "Laura, are you hearing this?"

"I'm pretending not to," her oldest sister replied unenthusiastically, far more occupied with her beverage.

"Don't be so worried, okay? It's a double date."

"A double date?"

"Yeah, with Gage and I," Lila answered.

"This just keeps getting worse and worse," Lucy shook her head. "Vodka. We need vodka."

"Yes we do," Laura nodded, already feeling the effects of her drinking. "Joey!"

"I'm not going on a stupid double date," Lucy growled at Lila.

"Too late. He's already agreed to it," she replied.

"He?"

"Carson."

"Carson?" Lucy and Laura choked in unison.

"Wait Carson Jenkins?" Joey chuckled as he joined the trio.

"Yes," Lila smiled. "It's perfect, right?"

"No!" Lucy exclaimed. "This is so not cool…"

"But Carson is cool," Joey replied.

"Then why don't you go on a date with him?" she snapped.

"I thought you had a crush on him when we were kids," Laura said.

"You're drunk. Shut up."

"I'm not drunk enough, trust me…"

"Listen, its one night. Besides, maybe you'll find that you two have more in common than you thought."

"Unlikely."

"It's better than spending your Valentine's Day alone," Lila said.

"What does Gage have to say about this arrangement?" Joey chuckled.

"I haven't told him yet," Lila smiled. "But I'm sure he'll be as enthused as I am. I have to go take care of more charges, but we'll talk later tonight, okay?"

"I hate you," Lucy glowered.

"Love you too!"

* * *

"I love her. I've known her since we were kids, sir, and I think it's fair to say I know her better than anyone. She changed everything for me. I know that I don't have much to offer, and I know if it was my daughter, I'd be concerned too. But I know I can make her happy. I know with everything in me that I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy in the same way that she makes me happy. I can't guarantee as much as I would like about the future. I mean, with our lives and the magic, sometimes taking things day to day is easier. But I can say I'll always be devoted to her. I'll always support her and I'll always love her. So, with your permission, I would like to marry your daughter."

The wild grin of the man sitting across from him seemed to be answer enough. "You're a good man, Gage," Cooper Valentine nodded. "I have to say, I'm impressed. It's a little old fashion for someone to ask a girl's father for permission to marry her."

"It was important to me to have your blessing," Gage said.

"Well, you have it," Coop smiled.

"Thank you," Gage grinned, breathing in relief as he shook Coop's hand.

Though Gage didn't doubt he would garner Coop's support, there was still something absolutely nerve-wrecking about asking the man for permission. Perhaps it was the whole notion of the proposal itself. He had known for the past few months that Lila was the woman he wanted to marry. While during childhood he had seen her nothing more as another girl to pick on, as they grew into adults a spark passed between them that neither could ignore.

Sure, the two knew how to fight. Actually, if anything, fighting was what they did best. Lila was feisty and opinionated and Gage was never one to back down. They were full of passion and fervor. It's what made them work. That and the fact that they understood each other. He understood her magical calling and she never questioned his methods when it came to demonic battles. She accepted him for being a little rough around the edges and he loved her for being zany and even at time difficult. It was an ideal match. And since the family was of cupid lineage, Gage assumed if they weren't meant to be, they certainly would have realized by now.

"Welcome to the family," Coop said. "Of course, I hope you're prepared for what it means to marry a Halliwell, let alone a Charmed One."

"Lucky for me, I spent most of my childhood under the strangeness of the family dynamic," he smirked.

Coop smiled and nodded. While he wasn't around for as much of the girls' childhood as he would have liked, he could still remember the two young Jenkins boys mixing in with the Halliwells. He never imagined one of them would be marrying his little girl. In fact, he could hardly imagine letting them go to any man. Already, though he would ignore it, he felt as though he were about to lose Lila.

"Lila's a handful," he smirked.

"Well, she puts up with me," Gage replied. "And I'm more than willing to do the same for her."

The two men sat in Coop's rather spacious office. When the well-experienced cupid wasn't filling his time helping charges find true love, he educated other magical beings in the art of being a cupid. His office at Magic School was one of the perks, outfitted with a larger than necessary mahogany desk and shelves of books that lined the golden walls.

"When do you plan on proposing?" Coop asked.

"Tomorrow night," Gage grinned.

"Valentine's Day? Very romantic."

"I thought so."

"You know, Lila's great-great-great-grandfather is Saint Valentine of Rome," Coop said enthusiastically. "She ever tell you that?"

"I think you've mentioned it once or twice," Gage mumbled.

The story of the Valentine's legendary lineage was well-known among anyone who had the pleasure of encountering Coop around the month of February. One of course couldn't blame him for being proud of his ancestors, granted the long winded stories were quite possibly more than one could bear.

"Yes. He was originally a priest, though few knew that he was actually a cupid," he continued. "Valentine was a human hybrid and descendent of Cupid the god of love and desire . . ."

"Mr. Valentine, I'm really sorry to interrupt, but I should actually be going," Gage said. He knew far better than to remain seated thanks to Lila's brash warnings. "I want to thank you again for your blessing. I promise I'm going to make her happy."

"Thank you, Gage," Coop smiled, shaking the young man's hand. He forced a smile, though in reality his insides were sinking with sadness. He was happy for his daughter but he could never be okay with another man taking his place in her life. For the soon to be engaged couple's sake, he put on a genial façade. "Good luck with the proposal tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled."

* * *

"Get down!"

She nearly flew to the gravel floor, ignoring the pebbles and dirt that scraped her arms and abdomen. Though she couldn't see the fireball, she could feel its heat as it soared past her. Once the danger was clear she frantically crawled on her hands and knees, desperate to find cover amongst the chaos.

"That was close," she breathed heavily.

"Yeah, you need to watch your back, Halliwell," her companion replied.

Sam glared in return. As if to prove a point she quickly popped up from behind the boulder in which they hid and squared off against the demon that tormented them. He prepared a fireball and instantly aimed in her direction. The flames came at high speed and Sam put up a hand not a second too soon, bouncing the offensive attack back with her deflection. The demon had little time to react and was quickly struck by the heated orange ball. Sam smiled in satisfaction at her vanquish.

"I expect you want me to say good job?"

"I don't expect anything from you, Nick" she smirked.

"You should be more careful," he warned.

She watched while he rose from behind the boulder, eyes full of gravity at his words. Nick brushed the dust from his jeans and sighed.

"Don't worry so much," Sam told him. "I didn't ask you to babysit me."

"You asked for my help."

"Right and that's all I need. I can take care of myself."

"Can you?"

"Just because I'm a little out of demon hunting shape, doesn't mean I'm not effective," Sam reasoned.

"Is that what that last vanquish was all about?" Nick smirked.

Sam gave him a gentle shove before continuing through the cave. Her shoes crunched against the unsteady floors, echoing loudly on the stone walls. It had been a week since Kate's arrival in rehab. Sure, Sam already visited far more times than would be expected of most family members, but it wasn't the same. Her apartment was lonely and empty. Her other half was gone.

When she wasn't at work, her time was occupied by the quest that had been bestowed upon her. Not only was it a good way to forget the pain of Kate's absence, but it also continued on the venture her sister started. Finding their mother's killer was the best way to pay tribute to both Paige and Kate. While Sam was the first to admit she wasn't the most skilled in the family or the most enthused about demonic pursuits, she was willing to go beyond her comfort zone in this case. She would use the gifts and abilities she had in order to bring peace to all the unrest that occurred in the last few months. The family needed closure and Sam would go to whatever lengths necessary to find it.

"You coming?"

"Right behind you," Nick grumbled. "I don't know if anyone's dared to tell you this, but you're rather demanding."

Sam smirked as she heard his footsteps behind her. While she and Nick had their spars, he was proving to be an excellent partner. To be honest, if it weren't for him, the entire plan wouldn't have even been possible. Nick knew how to track and was familiar with the many complex tunnels of the underworld. Though Sam wouldn't admit it, she needed him.

"Once we find a member of the Brotherhood, what exactly is the plan?" Sam asked.

"What, you didn't come up with that one on your own?"

"I told you I'm new at this."

"Well, it's not too hard," Nick shrugged. "We beat the crap out of him until he tells us what we want to know."

"Sounds simple enough," she nodded.

After he caught up with her the two fell into a comfortable pace. While the Underworld was no place to take lightly, between the two of them, they were able to handle themselves. And in moments like this, though still alert and focused, Sam found herself enjoying Nick's company. He realized she was watching him and glanced over.

"What does your family think about all this?"

"About me tracking down the Brotherhood?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"They don't know," Sam replied. "Well, Kate knows. But that's it."

"Why wouldn't you tell them?"

"Because they have bigger things to worry about," she answered. "Besides, this is my battle now."

* * *

Melinda Halliwell was in a precarious place. She didn't know how she knew. Perhaps it was because of her empathy abilities. Of course, maybe that was the problem. It hadn't seemed like a problem until now. Not being able to feel every emotion that Jack had was part of what attracted her to him in the first place. But now as the suspicion built and more unanswered questions developed, the unusual pleasantry was only another reason to not trust him.

"So how's it been? I'm sorry I haven't been in for a visit. It's just been busy with school . . ."

"Don't worry about it, Mel. I have more visitors here than I know what to do with."

Melinda smiled. It had been far too long since she spent time with her cousin. Ever since Paige's funeral, the two seemed to become entrenched in their own difficulties and lives. Kate was avoidant and drinking. Melinda was busy with work and Jack. Now as the pair was finally together, she couldn't help but feel guilty.

"You look good," Melinda told her.

"Thanks," Kate chuckled. "I don't think I could look much worse than the last time you saw me."

"Well, besides healthy. It's nice to feel you in such good spirits," she replied.

It was true. Melinda could hardly remember the last time Kate didn't radiate sorrow and grief and rage. Sure, there was a little resentment mixed in among the newfound sentiment of relief, but she embodied an aura of healing. She was renewed and hopeful and as an empath, Melinda thrived on the positive emotions.

Kate's mouth twitched into a crooked smirk. "I still have a long way to go," she said. "The withdrawal that first week was hell."

"I'm sorry you've had to go through all this," Melinda told her.

"Don't be sorry. No one can take responsibility for my actions but me," Kate replied. It came from her mouth like some sort of rhythmic chant.

"I'm guessing they've been drilling those sorts of things into your head," she said.

"Oh yes," Kate sighed sarcastically. "Between group therapy, individual therapy, art therapy, alcohol education, arts and crafts, meditation, and don't forget yoga, I know far more about myself than I ever wanted to. In fact, believe it or not, I'm sick of talking about myself. What's new with you?"

Melinda chuckled. "Everything's fine."

"Don't bore me, Mel. Tell me the good stuff," Kate said, adjusting to sit cross-legged on the sofa like an excited child. "What about that guy you've been dating?"

"Jack," Melinda shrugged. "It's been good."

"Just good?"

"We're both busy. I teach high school and he's a reporter . . ."

"Have you told him you're a witch?"

Melinda's eyes widened as she glanced around at the other patients and their visitors in the room. No one noticed and Kate hardly seemed fazed.

"No, I haven't told him," she whispered.

"Probably a good thing," Kate nodded. "He's not a jerk is he? Because if you date one more jerk, I swear . . ."

"He's a nice guy. He's a great guy, actually," Melinda mumbled. "I just . . ."

"What?"

"I'm just paranoid, that's all."

"Is he cheating?"

"I don't know," she shook her head. "I rather not talk about this."

"Mel, come on, it's me," Kate encouraged. "Besides, who am I going to tell around here?"

"But you can't tell anyone else. No one else in the family knows."

"Trust me, if I'm good at keeping one thing, its secrets. How do you think I ended up in rehab?"

"Fine," Melinda sighed. "About a week ago, I found some things in his apartment."

"Were you going through his stuff?"

"It was a complicated situation," she answered. "We thought that Dr. Salt was going after him but apparently he wasn't…"

"What'd you find?"

"A one way ticket to the Bahamas and a stash of hundred dollar bills," Melinda replied with a shaky breath.

"You think he was trying to skip town?"

"I don't know. He didn't. I mean, he was in town for the rest of the week. He hasn't left once," she answered. "And . . ."

"And what?" Kate asked. "Did you find something else?"

She almost said it. The words were on the tip of her tongue. The revelation of the athame she found in his desk drawer would be all the information needed for Kate to decide Jack was trouble. And while Melinda knew she should tell her cousin – or anyone for that matter – part of her didn't want to accept that he wasn't who she wanted him to be. She couldn't face the reality that he was yet another lying boyfriend. She didn't want to hear the demand to break up with him and tell her brothers. None of it made sense anyway. If he wanted to hurt her, wouldn't he have done it already?

"No, I didn't find anything else," Melinda shook her head.

"Then what is it?"

"I can't feel what he's feeling," she confessed. It was the truth. It wasn't the complete truth but maybe the conclusion wouldn't be demon.

"You what?"

"I can't sense his emotions. It's never happened to me before . . ."

"Unless it's a demon. Mel . . ."

"But he's not. If he was a demon, wouldn't he have tried to hurt me already?"

"You don't know that."

"Maybe he's something else then."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but there are more than just witches and demons out there. There's more than just good and evil. It's not all black and white, right?"

"I don't know, Mel," Kate shook her head. "You need to be careful."

"You're not going to tell anyone are you?"

"No," she sighed. "But I think you should. Maybe they'll have answers I don't. If you're wrong about this, you could get really hurt. Not just heartbroken, but . . ."

"I know, Kate," she muttered. "I know."

* * *

"He's ruining everything!"

"You're dramatic."

"I put the weight of the entire infiltration on him and he's failed me!"

"He hasn't failed yet."

"You lied to me! You said he'd be able to do it!"

"I didn't lie to you! You need to be patient!" Aliah shrieked back.

"This is disgraceful! You're a vile woman and your son is a worthless piece of . . ."

A stiff hand slapped across Malum's face, instantly cutting of his words. The Source of All Evil was quickly put in place by the Queen's rage and his jaw clicked back into place. "If you don't get through to him, I will," Malum said.

"Why don't you just worry about the rest of the Underworld and let me worry about Delezar?" Aliah suggested.

"Sorry dear, but you don't seem to be very effective in taking care of the problem," Malum growled.

"He's in love," Aliah revealed.

Her voice was distant. It echoed in the room with helpless remorse. Malum shook his head.

"I should have known," he said. "That's what you get for allowing him to indulge so greatly in his human half . . ."

"It was the only way for him to blend into human society!"

"And now he has! Now he's too deep," Malum argued. "Aliah, we have to take care of this."

"I will," she told him.

"You expect me to take your word?"

"I'm your wife. Your Queen."

"And some Prince of Darkness you've given me. He disgusts me! Just like his father!"

"You only hate Delezar because you're jealous of . . ."

"I'm not jealous!" Malum argued. He threw a glass to the floor in his frustration and kicked aside his chair. Aliah hardly flinched at his outburst. "I want you to kill the girl."

"The girl?"

"The one he's in love with."

"You think that will solve anything?"

"Perhaps losing her will bring out the demon we've been desperate to see," Malum answered. "Now will you do it or shall I find someone else?"

"I'll do it," Aliah replied coldly.

"Good. I want it done tomorrow night."

"Getting a little bossy, aren't we?" Aliah glared.

"It will be the ideal time to strike. The Charmed Ones will be distracted."

"By what?"

"I don't know if you were listening during our last meeting, but Valentine's Day is the busiest day of the year for Cupids," Malum sighed. "Capturing them will be like shooting fish in a barrel. And since this new batch of Charmed Ones is half-cupid, it shouldn't be too hard to weaken their magical lineage…"

"You're going to trust the demons of hate to do your dirty work?"

"I'm simply using the tools at our disposal. It's a rough plan, trust me, but at this rate, any extra stress makes them weak. If we can manage to take out another family member while we're at it, they might very well break."

"That's wishful thinking," Aliah rolled her eyes. Malum watched as she strode for the exit.

"Where are you going?"

"Just going to plot how to kill my son's girlfriend."

"That's why I love you, darling."

"I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

* * *

The lights of San Francisco encompassed the bedroom in a low gold hue. Stars reflected off the Bay and glimmered off of the wide windows. It was the magnificent view that had drawn Chris and Wyatt to the pent house suite in the first place. At the time it was out of their price range, but Wyatt insisted, and against his better judgment Chris gave in. It was one of the few risks he appreciated taking, especially now as he lay tangled in the sheets, enjoying yet another magnificent view.

"What are you staring at?"

"You," he smirked.

Bianca pinched his ear. "You're ridiculous," she told him.

"Most girls swoon for that line."

"I'm not most girls. And don't act like you bring a lot of girls home Halliwell," Bianca teased.

"You'd be very surprised," Chris winked.

Her head rested on his chest. Their warms bodies were relaxed and content in the proximity of the others. It was natural.

"Where's your brother?"

"He's working late tonight," Chris replied. "Why? You worried he's going to walk in on us?"

"I'm not worried about anything. You're the one who hasn't told your family we're sleeping together," Bianca said.

"Well, for one thing, that's not exactly how I would phrase it when I told them," he chuckled. "And I actually did tell my cousins I had a date tonight, which means by tomorrow the entire family should know."

"But I imagine you didn't share the little fact that I'm the bitch detective investigating Paige's case," Bianca replied. "Because I'm sure they'll love that."

Chris frowned slightly and tried to keep the anxiety from clouding his previously pleasant mood. "I haven't told them who you are yet but I don't care what they think," he finally managed.

"Really?" she laughed. "I doubt that."

"I'm serious," Chris insisted. "They can't control who I date."

Even as she sat up, still chuckling at him in mockery, Chris couldn't deny her beauty. She drove him crazy. Her dark hair was tangled and tumbled down her shoulders with a sort of wildness that made him want to claim her as his own. He knew he shouldn't be with Bianca. Every instinct told him to stay away. But his heart had a mind of its own.

"This has been fun Chris, and I like you, but I'm under no illusions," Bianca said. "You're the good boy. That means in a few weeks when your family tells you of their disapproval, you're going to back out of this like you know you should."

"You think you have me figured out, don't you?" Chris asked, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"Yeah I do," Bianca nodded. "I mean, reading people, that's all just a part of my job."

"And what do you read into me?" he asked.

"You're controlling. Obsessive even . . ." Bianca smirked. "You probably haven't broken a rule in your entire life."

Chris shook his head, though deep down he was alarmed by her accuracy. "Go on," Chris shrugged.

"You live for your family," she said.

"And what makes you think that?"

"You take every call, every message, and every request they've ever had for you," Bianca answered. "When you're not at work, you're with them. They're probably you're closest friends. Maybe even your only friends . . ."

"Ouch," he said.

"It's not a bad thing. You're loyal and dependable," Bianca nodded. "It's cute. Sometimes I wish my family was like that."

"You never talk about your family," Chris mumbled.

"There's not much to talk about. My parents divorced when I was young. I have three brothers; two older, one younger. I think if it was at all possible, we wouldn't have anything to do with each other," she said. Bianca frowned when she realized what she was saying. She hadn't meant to reveal so much, especially not to Chris. But it always happened this way. Something about him always made her feel like she could talk. He made her feel safe enough to be vulnerable.

"I'm sorry," Chris apologized.

"Don't be," Bianca cleared her throat. "Not all of us can be the Brady Bunch."

"I guess not," he chuckled. Chris' gaze turned more serious, even in the dark. "But I want you to know, that I'm in this Bianca. I know my family won't be happy with my choice, and maybe I do care too much about what they think, but not this time. I could do much worse than a detective…"

Bianca swallowed down hard. "You could still do better," she mumbled.

Chris' brow furrowed as he brought his fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true. Chris, I'm not as great as you think I am," Bianca replied.

"And neither am I," he said. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

* * *

"It's heaven."

"Really?"

"Oh yes," Phoebe Halliwell smiled as he set the fork down to the counter. "Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite nephew?"

"Once or twice, but hearing it never gets old," Wyatt winked. "Don't worry; it'll be our little secret."

"Speaking of secret, you haven't told anyone about this have you?"

"Nope," he answered. "I figured it was one of those times where I should keep my mouth shut."

Phoebe sighed in relief, watching as the chef disappeared behind the table again, rummaging for ingredients. The restaurant had emptied about an hour ago, but Wyatt had agreed to meet her to help prepare a few specialty dishes.

"It's not that I don't want anyone to know," Phoebe sighed. "It's just with this family once one person knows, everyone knows, and then before you know it everyone is asking questions and hearing stories and . . ."

"I get it. Trust me aunt Pheebs, there's a reason we're all pretty private about our love lives in this family," he chuckled. She watched as he set another pot of water onto the stove and began tossing salt and pepper into the mix.

"Yes, I've noticed a pattern with that . . ."

"So if you don't mind me asking, does this mean you and uncle Coop are getting back together?"

Phoebe sighed, keeping her head propped on her hand as she watched her eldest nephew work. "I don't know," she replied. "I'd like to think so but I don't want to get my hopes up…"

"Which is why you're not telling anyone?"

She nodded. "I don't know how things got so complicated between us. I guess when you're like me and you've been divorced three times, you learn to not set your expectations too high."

"You deserve to be happy aunt Phoebe," Wyatt said. "And it's never too late."

"You sound like your father."

"Thanks, I think," Wyatt smirked.

"I just want everything for tomorrow to be perfect."

"Well, they say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

"Yeah, I never perfected that art," Phoebe chuckled. "That was always Piper's department."

"I'm surprised you didn't ask her."

"Well, don't tell her I said this, but though she refuses to admit it, she is no longer the chef of the family," Phoebe smiled. "At least not a four-star rated chef."

"She taught me everything I know. Of course, I did pick up a few things along the way…"

"If this is too much, I can always order take out and . . ."

"No, this is fine. Besides, I already started," Wyatt replied. "But if you could do me a favor, I think I left my bag out in the lounge."

"I got it," Phoebe smiled, hopping down from her stool at the counter. She slowly left the kitchen, pushing through the heavy double doors that barricaded it off from the rest of the fine dining area. The chairs had been turned upside down on top of the tables and the lights were dimmed throughout the restaurant. Despite the Triquetra's mishap during New Year's Eve, the restaurant had rebounded business rather quickly and was sure to pick up speed with the upcoming romantic festivities.

She wasn't sure what made her so nervous about her upcoming date with Coop. After all, it wasn't like they hadn't been together before. They had been married for fifteen years. They knew everything about each other. All the newness and nerves should have worn off. Hell, they had been sleeping together for nearly a month. But the Valentine's Day dinner represented something more powerful than sex and memories. Perhaps it was the prospect that their second chance had finally come. Or even more meaningful; that despite their hardships and separation, they really were meant to be.

Phoebe shook the thoughts from her head as she found Wyatt's messenger bag behind the bar in the lounge. Silence embodied the restaurant except for a few rattles of pans and dishes in the kitchen. She turned quickly, only to find her heart rattling in its place.

"Phoebe…" a deep voice greeted.

The air escaped from her chest and head. She could hardly stand and quickly gripped onto the nearby table for support. "What are you doing here?" she managed.

"You still look beautiful," he told her.

"Cole…" Phoebe gasped. He took a slow step toward her and her entire form tensed. "Stay away."

"I just wanted to see you," Cole said. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked. "How are you here right now?"

"I was never dead, you know that," he replied. "Just please give me a chance to explain . . ."

"No. No, Wy . . ."

Before she could call for her nephew, Cole disappeared into thin air. Phoebe trembled with apprehension, nearly collapsing to the floor and cowering with fear. She dropped Wyatt's bag to the floor, bringing a hand to cover her mouth as she gasped for air.

"Aunt Phoebe, are you okay out there?" Wyatt called from the kitchen.

"I'm fine!" she answered shakily. "I'm fine . . ."

* * *

_Hey all! Sorry it's been so long since an update. I just started college this past September and it's been a bit of a transition, not leaving much room for writing. Fortunately this Thanksgiving break has given me some time and come winter break, you should get a few more frequent updates. Thanks for reading and sticking with me and as always I love to hear your reviews, critiques, and opinions! ~ Sammy_


	27. All My Secrets : Segment 2

Each stitch was a meticulous process. The needle worked gently along the flesh, carefully threading the open layers of the irritated wound. Laura's gaze was fixated on the task with intensity. A simple mistake could mean excess scarring or even worse. She could remember the days when a gash in the emergency room was nerve wrecking and tense. Now she did the work with ease. In fact, she nearly reveled in the near peacefulness of repetition and control. The hospital nearly bounced with activity. Patients scrambled in and doctors and nurses hurried with medications and procedures. It was chaos. But Laura lived in chaos. At least at the San Francisco Memorial it was controlled.

"There you go," she smiled at her patient.

"Thank you, Dr. Halliwell."

She threw her bloodied gloves into the toxic bin and a nurse cleaned up the supplies she had used to complete the stitches. Laura sighed as she scribbled a few things down onto the patient's chart. "I'm prescribing a low-grade antibiotic to make sure that doesn't get infected. Be sure to take it for the full ten days and then come back Wednesday to have those removed. If you can, keep them from getting wet."

Laura slung the stethoscope back around her neck and gathered up her stack of paperwork with contempt. She had two days worth of charts to complete among more patients to treat and interns to assist. While she was getting a better grip on balancing her work life and magical responsibilities, it was a constant and exhausting game of catch-up.

"Dr. Halliwell, we're going to need you in exam room two!" a clerk called from the front desk as she passed.

She nodded, quickly adjusting the thick pile of files into her other arm. She nearly collided with a gurney that rushed past, forcing her to nearly hug the narrow corridor wall to avoid being crushed. Laura huffed as she continued on her route, only to smack straight into another charging mass around the corner. The papers quickly fell from her grasp and in frustration, she threw the few she had hung onto down to the floor with the rest of the mess. "Shit," she cursed.

"I'm sorry," apologized the reason for her mishap.

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked into his face. "Hey," she muttered.

"Hey," James smirked back.

She watched while he took to a knee, quickly gathering up her files. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Someone called for a surgical consult," he answered.

"Right," Laura nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. She quickly got to the floor to help him.

"I didn't mean to send your charts flying like that," James shook his head. He paused for a moment, his light blue eyes twinkling onto her face. She tried to keep the blush that warmed through her at bay. "Are you all right?"

Laura swallowed hard. "I'm fine," she lied. "Just tired. We're getting slammed down here today."

"Yeah, one of those days I guess," he nodded. They both went back to gathering the scattered papers. Their hands collided as they reached for the same file, their fingers lingering on each other's for a pause. Laura quietly pulled away and James gave a meek smile as he handed her the rest of the charts. "Here."

"Thanks," Laura said.

He helped her up from the floor and the two stood in an awkward silence. "How are things?" he asked.

"Okay, I guess," she nodded. "What about you?"

"All right," James replied.

Laura swallowed hard. "I miss you," she confessed softly.

James was quiet for longer than she wished. His mouth opened to speak and then closed again. Just as she was prepared to speak on his behalf, his beeper interrupted the pair. A heavy frown pulled at the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry, I really have to go," he said. He brushed a gentle hand down her shoulder. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Laura watched as he hurried off and gave a long sigh. She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, wondering if she was the first Cupid in history to hate Valentine's Day with such passion.

* * *

"Coming!"

Lila Halliwell skipped down the stairs with excitement, nearly beaming with positive energy while she bustled about the house. Before the doorbell could chime again she was flinging open the door, greeting the visitor with enthusiasm.

"Good morning," Gage smiled.

She graced him with an affectionate kiss before returning the greeting. "Good morning to you too."

"You're in a good mood," he chuckled.

"It's my favorite day of the year," she said with glee.

"Which is why I brought you these…"

"They're beautiful," Lila told him, gratefully taking the bundle of roses he presented her. She thanked him with another kiss on the lips, before turning to skip off. "I'll go put them in water."

Gage smirked as he followed after her down the hall. The prospect of their evening brought him excitement and anxiety all at the same time. The box with her ring was in his pocket, constantly reminding him of the pending proposal. It made his heart thunder with anticipation. Watching as Lila happily moved about the kitchen was only confirmation that he was ready. She was the woman he wanted to spend his life with, no matter how crazy and difficult she could be. Lila was his.

"Morning Gage," Lucy greeted him dully from the living room.

"Hey," he nodded back. "How's it going Lou?"

"Let's see, it's Valentine's Day, so awful," she replied.

"She's just being dramatic," Lila smirked as she finished arranging the red roses in a vase. "Remember that surprise I told you about?"

"Well, you never told me exactly what it was," Gage said skeptically. "But speaking of which, I have a surprise for you too…"

Lila's smile widened. "Okay, you go first."

"No, you go first," Gage grinned.

"No you."

"No you."

"Oh my god, shut up!" Lucy shouted at them.

"Okay, fine," Lila started. "I set up Carson and Lucy on a date tonight."

Gage's mouth dropped in surprise. "You're kidding."

"Oh no, she's serious," Lucy groaned.

"Carson agreed to it?"

"Of course he did," Lila smiled. "I just worked a little of my magic."

"And Lucy?"

"I don't have a choice," she answered.

"This is too funny," Gage chuckled.

"I know, right?" Lila grinned. "And the best part is they're going on a double date with us."

"They're what?" he choked with wide eyes.

"They're coming with us."

"No," Gage shook his head.

"What?"

"They can't come with us," Gage insisted frantically.

"I agree," Lucy nodded.

"Baby, why not? It's just a dinner."

"But it's Valentine's Day."

"Exactly. It's about love and romance. Aren't you happy we can give your little brother a nice evening . . ."

"No!" Gage exclaimed. "This ruins everything."

"How?" Lila asked.

"Because I'm . . ." he stopped before he could reveal the proposal. "Because it's supposed to be a romantic night for you and me."

"I know, but this will be just as fun," she insisted.

"No, it won't," Lucy said.

"Be quiet Peanut," Lila sighed. She placed her hands on Gage's shoulders, peering into his distressed face. "Gage, I didn't realize it would upset you so much."

"I'm not upset," he replied quickly. "I just wasn't expecting this…"

"It's all part of the Valentine's Day spirit. I know I can get a little carried away but I guess it's in my DNA," she shrugged. "The double date will be fun, okay?"

Gage had to make a conscious effort from growling in dismay. "I don't know Ly, I was really hoping tonight could be special," he said, lowering his voice so that only she could hear his gentle desperation.

"It will be special," Lila assured. "Come on, do it for me . . ."

Gage and Lucy simultaneously groaned at her whining. "Why do you do this to me?" he sighed in frustration.

"And me?" Lucy shouted.

"You know you love me," Lila smiled, pecking a kiss to Gage's cheek. "I have some last minute matches to work on, but I'll see you both at dinner!"

"But . . ."

Lila flashed out in a pink glow before either could protest. Gage dramatically threw his head back, running his hands down his face. Lucy angrily grumbled to herself. "Sorry for ruining your date," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Gage told her. "It's not you."

"What is it then?"

"Can I trust you with a secret?" he asked.

Lucy's eyes widened with excitement. "Probably not, but now you have to tell me," she replied.

"Great," he rolled his eyes. He searched in his pocket, only stopping when he found the box. "No mass text messages, okay?"

"Is that what I think it is?" Lucy gasped.

Gage nodded as he popped open the container and revealed the ring studded with a single diamond. "I was going to propose tonight."

"This is perfect," she grinned.

"I'm glad you think so. It took me forever to pick it out and . . ."

"No, I mean, this is perfect for both of us," Lucy said. "I don't want to go on this date and you don't want your brother and I to ruin your proposal…"

"I show you an engagement ring and your first thought is how I can get you out of a date?"

"Yes! Just talk to Carson. Then all of us will be happy."

"Except for Lila."

"Screw her. She'll be happy after you put this rock on her finger," Lucy smiled.

"You have a point," Gage nodded in realization. "Okay, I'll talk to Carson."

"You'll make a fine brother in law," she encouraged.

"Yeah, well we'll be off to a good start if you can keep this proposal between us," he replied.

"My lips are sealed," Lucy said.

"Unfortunately I don't believe you," Gage shook his head as he put the ring back into his pocket.

"I'm appalled."

"I'm off to go crush my little brother's Valentine's Day dreams," he announced merrily, straightening his jacket as he made his way for the exit.

"I'm off to not go tell everyone I know about your proposal!"

* * *

Melinda Halliwell efficiently stroked the chalk against the blackboard, long ago grown immune to the cringe-worthy sound of its squealing scrape. Behind her the class was for the most part silent. She could hear the low murmur of students talking in the back of the class.

"After distributing, you can solve by finding the natural logarithm of the fraction . . ." she explained as she wrote the problem.

"Wait; how'd you get twelve over five?"

"You divide the constant from both sides," Melinda answered.

"Okay, I'm completely lost," another student said.

Consistent with her normal character, Melinda nodded void of frustration. Teaching took patience, and fortunately it was one of the qualities she had learned to harness over the years. Perhaps she was still a novice in the teaching profession but though it was difficult to repeat herself for the tenth time, it hardly fazed her.

"Where did we lose you?" she asked, turning away from the board, chalk still in hand.

"How you isolated the exponent from eight," he replied.

"After setting it to a log . . ."

Melinda nearly groaned at the chime of the bell. Almost instantly half the class was toward the door before she could even get another word out.

"Don't forget we have an exam on this material at the end of the week!" she called out above the noise. "I'm available during third period if you need to come in for help…"

"Are you available now?"

She didn't even noticed he had slipped into the bustling classroom and nearly jumped at his voice behind her. Part of her faltered with fear while her other half warmed with excitement. She swallowed down hard, unable to combat the contradicting emotions. Students were still taking their time toward the exit as she turned to face her visitor.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I wanted to wish you a happy Valentine's Day," Jack answered. He presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a heart shaped box of chocolates. "It's a little cliché but I couldn't help myself."

Melinda smiled as she gave him a kiss in appreciation, carefully placing the chocolates on her desk and taking the flowers from his grasp. She blushed as she heard one of her students snigger behind her. "Way to go, Ms. Halliwell…"

"Goodbye David," she told him, causing Jack to chuckle as well.

"Sorry to drop in on you like this. It's just been hard to get ahold of you lately," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry, I've been busy," Melinda replied.

"It's all right. We both have hectic jobs," Jack nodded. "But I cleared my schedule for tonight and I was hoping you would join me for dinner."

She forced a nervous smile. "Tonight?"

"It is Valentine's Day," he replied.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"Yeah? As in yes you'd love to be my Valentine?"

"Yes," Melinda nodded against her better judgment.

"Great. I'll pick you up at six then?" Jack said.

"Sounds good," she replied.

She nearly melted at his boyish grin. "All right, I have to get back to the office, but I'll see you tonight," he told her before kissing her on the cheek.

"See you then," Melinda said, watching as he slipped out the door of her classroom. A feeling of nausea swarmed in her stomach as she contemplated the upcoming evening. "Shit."

* * *

In the past week Sam had spent so much time at Cornerstone Rehabilitation Facility that people were beginning to confuse her as a patient rather than a visitor. Of course, that wasn't exactly hard to do when she happened to be Kate's identical twin. The two sat on the patio of the well-landscaped facility grounds. The gray ocean was visible from their spots, just over the shiny emerald grass where patients participated in some form of yoga.

"I wish I was that flexible…" Sam mumbled as she watched the group.

"It's more about relaxation than flexibility," Kate told her.

"Have you been partaking?"

"What else am I supposed to do? Actually, I'll admit I kind of enjoy it. Meditation hour has become one of my favorites," she confessed.

"Meditation? I'm going to have to tell Wyatt. He'll be thrilled to have a partner in his Zen lifestyle," Sam chuckled.

"I don't know if I could sustain it out in the real world," Kate shook her head.

"The real world?"

"Yeah. It's all a bubble here. Of course everyone's sober. There's no chance to slip up," she mumbled. "Once it's all done with and you leave and you realize you still have problems and the world isn't a peaceful place, it's a lot harder to stay sober and happy."

"That's why you have friends and family to support you," Sam said. She squeezed her sister's hand. "You've already come this far. Don't doubt yourself now."

Kate gave a long sigh and nodded. "You're right," she replied. Still, Sam struggled to hide that her sister's response brought little comfort. Surely she didn't expect everything to be perfect or the rode easy with Kate in rehab, but never had it occurred to her that the journey was only just beginning. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Of course," Sam nearly exclaimed, desperate for a subject change.

"How's everything been going with, you know . . ."

"I think I've spent more time in the Underworld in this last week than I have in my entire life," she told her.

"Have you found anything?"

"We're tracking Delezar," Sam replied.

"We're?" Kate repeated.

Sam's face immediately dropped at her mistake. She was never one to have a good poker face and it was recently proving to be a formidable weakness. "I meant me," she said. "I mean, I. I've been tracking Delezar."

Kate's eyes held only skepticism. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"By yourself?"

"Yes. No. Well, sometimes," Sam sputtered.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?"

"Nothing is going on."

"Sam, you're the worst liar in the history of lying. The worst liar in the entire family!"

"I'm not lying!" she insisted.

"I don't know why you're being so cryptic about this."

"I'm not."

"Then is someone helping you or not?"

There was a pause as Sam contemplated her answer. Unfortunately she got the feeling that no matter how plausible the lie she told, Kate would likely see right through her. If Kate knew about Nick, however, she had a feeling that a fight would ensue and in her sister's fragile state a fight was the last thing they needed.

"Oh great, you're both here," announced a voice behind them.

Sam nearly crumpled with appreciation when she found her young cousin bounding toward her and Kate.

"Louie, what a pleasant surprise," Kate laughed as Lucy happily embraced her. "What are you doing here?"

Lucy shrugged as she pulled up a seat next to the twins. "I don't know, I felt like saying hello…" she mumbled unconvincingly. She shifted her gaze to Sam. "What about you? We never see you anymore. You're always at work."

"The presses never rest," Sam lied, ignoring how Kate eyed her with suspicion. "Shouldn't you be at school or something?"

"Yeah, do you even go to Stanford anymore?" Kate teased.

"Yes," Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's called morning classes and a four day weekend…"

"God I miss college," Sam chuckled.

"I can't take it anymore," Lucy groaned.

"Can't take what? School? You're like a genius or something," Kate said in confusion.

"Yeah, I thought your big brain had an IQ of 136…"

"It's 141 but that's beside the point," Lucy sighed. "It's this secret."

"A secret? Funny, Sam here is keeping one too."

"I am not!"

"I feel like a Catholic priest. Everyone keeps coming here and spilling their guts . . ."

"Gage is proposing to Lila tonight," Lucy interrupted.

Both twins' found their mouths dropping in surprise and excitement. "No way!" Kate laughed.

"How do you know?" Sam asked.

"Gage told me this morning. He showed me the ring and everything," Lucy said. "He told me not to tell anyone."

"Way to go," Kate flicked Lucy behind the ear.

"Ow! You guys would have done the same thing."

"Finally we have a wedding to look forward to," Sam smiled. "This is so exciting."

"Gage is a brave man," Kate smirked.

"Or a stupid one. I haven't decided yet," Lucy quipped.

"Well, he did trust you with a secret," Kate said. "I wouldn't say that speaks volumes of his intelligence."

"I think it's so romantic he's proposing on Valentine's Day," Sam sighed dreamily. "Uncle Coop would be so proud."

"The best part is that it gets me out of my date," Lucy revealed.

"Wait, you have a date tonight?"

"No, I don't. I did, but this proposal fixes everything," she replied.

"I'm confused," Kate said.

"Me too."

"Lila set me up on a double date with Carson," she explained, cringing at the identical shrieks from her cousins.

"That's so cute," Sam exclaimed.

"No, not cute."

"What's wrong with Carson?" Kate asked.

"I don't know. We used to play ninjas together and race around the block . . ."

"I know, it's adorable," Sam said.

"Okay, stop with the adorable. It's like going on a date with my brother."

"Except your brother who is attractive and smart and not related to you," Sam replied.

"Whatever. You can go on a date with him," Lucy scoffed. "Besides, it doesn't matter now because Gage is cancelling the entire thing as we speak."

"Good luck with that. Lila follows through on these things," Kate chuckled. "You two will go on that double date whether you want to or not."

"I'm ignoring you," Lucy decided. "Sam, what are you doing for Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah Samantha, what are you doing?" Kate asked, narrowing her eyes with her previous suspicion.

"Nothing," she replied. "Working."

"Bullshit," Kate muttered.

"You should join Laura and Wyatt. I think they're having a movie marathon or something," Lucy said. "I'm going too once I get confirmation this date isn't happening."

"It's happening."

"Shut up."

"I'll see if I can swing by," Sam told her. "Granted, a depressing singles night with the Halliwell clan sounds drab…"

"You're not alone. Hell, I think the only one of us with a real romantic thing going on is Mel," Lucy said.

"Speaking of Mel, she was here the other day," Kate spoke up.

"Did she tell you what her and Jack were doing tonight?"

"No. She was weird about the whole thing. Apparently she can't sense what he's feeling…" the words trailed out of Kate's mouth before she could stop them and she immediately tensed with regret.

"She what?" Sam choked.

"I wasn't supposed to say that."

"Too late! And you say I'm bad at keeping secrets," Lucy replied.

"I don't know, okay! Melinda was just saying that she can't feel his emotions. She said he's been acting weird," Kate said. Lucy and Sam listened with eyes widened. "Listen, I'm the first to be cynical, but not every boyfriend is a potential demonic threat."

"Uh, actually . . ."

"She trusted me not to tell," Kate told them. "Please don't tell her I told you anything. Everyone keeps coming here and telling me their secrets! I can't keep track."

"Jack is a good guy," Sam shrugged.

"It could all be a ploy . . ."

"Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. For now."

"The same benefit of the doubt I'm giving you?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

"I would appreciate it," Sam replied. "Now, I have to get back to the office. You two have fun talking behind my back…"

"Trust me, we will," Lucy winked.

* * *

"Okay, can you slow down and explain this like a human being?"

Gage took a long breath in order to calm himself, pacing in front of his younger brother with anxiousness. "I'm going to propose to Lila."

"You're what?" Carson choked. His teal eyes widened in confusion. "When did you plan on telling me?"

"I thought I did…" Gage mumbled. "But that's beside the point."

"I'm your brother!"

"You've been in Oregon for the last three years . . ."

"You still could've mentioned something," Carson replied. "I knew you were going to marry her, but I didn't think it would be now."

"You don't want me to?"

"Of course not. I just thought I'd get a little heads up. I mean, I know we haven't been exactly close these last few years but come on Gage," he scolded, now also pacing in the small living room.

"I'm sorry, all right," Gage said. "If it's any consolation, you'll still be my best man."

"It's an honor," Carson rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'll make it up to you," Gage assured frantically. "But right now, I'm freaking out…"

"Obviously."

"I need you to cancel your double date with us tonight."

"Why?"

"Because we don't need our kid siblings sitting there while I propose. It's not very romantic," Gage insisted.

"Our kid siblings?"

"Yeah, you and Lucy."

"Lucy?"

"Sorry for ruining the surprise," Gage said.

"You're an asshole," Carson scoffed as he strode for the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. "Can't you just choose another night to propose?"

"It's only Valentine's Day once a year."

"Yeah but it's so cliché," Carson said, cracking open his drink.

Gage first growled with frustration before his eyebrow quirked with interest. "Are you telling me this date is that important to you?"

"I didn't say that."

"You're either trying to get back at me for not telling you about this proposal business – which is very immature I might add – or you are really looking forward to this date with Lucy," Gage said.

"You're wrong," Carson shrugged, simply brushing past his brother.

"Well, then why are you doing this?" he groaned.

"I'll call Lila and tell her I'm sick, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

"Yes," Gage muttered. "But don't do it just for me."

"Oh fuck you," Carson chuckled as he plopped down onto the couch. "You owe me."

"You're my favorite brother," Gage said.

"I'm your only brother."

* * *

A hand flew to Melinda's chest as she jumped at the loud thump.

"Sorry," Joey apologized.

Dust circulated in the creaking space as the two weaved in and out of stacks of boxes and old furniture. Joey was too tall to stand up straight in the attic space and hunched over as he searched, callously pushing things aside as he went.

"It's weird that the girls live here now," he mumbled. He hadn't decided if he was saying it to himself or to Melinda. It simply came out of his mouth as a notion for him to ponder.

Melinda frowned behind him. She could feel the ache that wrenched through her cousin's chest. It had been there the moment thy entered the house and now as he led them up to the attic, she could see how troublesome and strange the arrangement was.

"I guess it's better than some stranger living here," Joey considered aloud.

"It'll always be your house, Joey," she assured him. Only a grim smile lifted his mouth. Melinda cleared her throat to divert attention away from the mourning process. "So you haven't exactly explained what we're doing up here…"

"There's something I need to see," he replied. "I'll be honest. I didn't want to come here alone."

"Well, I'm honored you asked me to come," Melinda said. "I'm always here for you Joe. Even if it means dodging cobwebs. . ."

"I think this is it," Joey announced, stopping his search in front of an olive green chest. He immediately took to a knee on the dusty floorboards. Melinda crouched down next to him. The chest was worn and the once golden hinges were rusted. "In the will mom said there was something up here. I think she was talking about this."

"Do you know what it is?"

He only quietly unlatched the front, the chest hardly visible under the single shimmer of light that cast through the attic's shoebox of a window. The container squealed open and almost instantly Joey was overcome with former memories. Melinda's mouth dropped slightly at the emotion in which the chest held. "These were dad's things," he said.

More specifically, it was Henry's police uniform, badge, boots, holster, and the American flag that had been given to Paige upon her husband's death. Joey carefully pulled out the navy uniform top. The silver name plate at the breast pocket still gleamed MITCHELL.

"You miss him," Melinda said. She usually avoided saying what she sensed out loud but in this case could hardly help it. Joey paid her little attention anyway as he studied Henry's San Francisco Police Department badge.

"I do," Joey mumbled. "He was my hero when I was a kid."

"He was a great man," she told him, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"He taught me that you could help people without powers. And that you could be brave without fighting demons," he told her, looking up from the badge and uniform. "He helped a lot of people."

Melinda nodded in agreement. "You're a lot like him," she told him.

"I want to join the police force," Joey said suddenly.

"What?" Melinda choked.

"I've been thinking about it a lot and I think perhaps it's what I'm supposed to do," he explained with fervor.

"This seems so sudden, Joe. And it's a big commitment . . ."

"I'm about to graduate from college and I don't know what I'm going to do. All I know is that I want to help people," he said. "Before she went to rehab, Kate and I were having lunch and she said that if dad was alive he'd probably be encouraging me to join the force. I think she's right. This way I can honor him and I can do something that actually matters."

"There are lots of things that matter and lots of ways to honor your dad," Melinda replied. "I don't think signing on with the police academy on a whim is the best idea."

"It's a not a whim," Joey muttered. Melinda watched as he turned back to the chest. He cradled out Henry's worn holster and the dense gun he once wielded. She swallowed hard, using everything in her to not tell Joey to put the weapon away. Sure, the Halliwells were used to violence but firearms were never apart of their repertoire.

"Careful with that thing Terminator," she teased.

Joey smirked before setting it down. "I just wish someone could tell me what I'm supposed to do," he sighed. Melinda watched as he ran a pair of hands down his face, sitting in despair among the dusty boxes.

"You'll figure it out," she said patting his shoulder, "I promise."

"And if I don't?"

"I guess you'll be stuck living with me for the rest of your life," Melinda chuckled.

"It's a possibility," Joey laughed with a shake of his head.

"I support whatever you want to do," she told him. "I just hope you think this police thing through before you do anything."

"I will," he assured. He smirked as he looked in the chest at Henry's belongings. "There's some cool stuff in here…"

Melinda took out her uncle's police hat and plopped it on Joey's head. "That's a good look for you."

"I thought so. I don't' want to be a cop. I just want a uniform," Joey teased. "The women will swoon."

"You keep telling yourself that," Melinda rolled her eyes.

While she further examined the navy blue uniform top, Joey rifled through the variety of items in the trunk. "Why are there rocks in here?" he grumbled. He quickly reached for the pair of stones that rested at the bottom of box, hissing instantly as he grabbed them. "Ow! Holy shit!"

Melinda glanced up in time to watch him frantically release the rocks from his hand, dropping them to the floor. "What is it?"

"They fucking burn," Joey grimaced, massaging his sore palm.

Melinda usually wasn't one to see things for herself, but slowly picked up one of the stones. Pain quickly seared through her hand, electrifying every tendon and throbbing straight to the bone. She cried out and dropped it free just as Joey had. "What the hell?" she hissed.

"I think there's a reason those have been buried in the attic," Joey growled. He gritted his teeth as he timidly picked up the two rocks, dropping them into the chest as quickly as he could, still crying out at their fury. "Note to self. Don't touch those things."

* * *

Piper Halliwell watched in concern as her sister incessantly stirred her coffee. It wasn't like Phoebe to be anxious. Sure, they all had their moments of being on edge, especially when it came to demonic foes or their children, but this sort of stress seemed uncharacteristic.

"Are you nervous about your date tonight?" Piper asked.

Phoebe finally looked up from her mug, quickly shaking her head. "No. No, of course not. It's just Coop," she replied. "I mean, we were married. A date is-is nothing."

"Right…" Piper murmured unconvinced.

"I'm serious. I mean, I'm excited I guess," Phoebe confessed.

Piper gave a warm smile. "Well, that's a good thing. You deserve to be happy. You and Coop deserve a second chance," she told her. She nursed a sip of coffee. The condo was silent. With all three of the girls moved out and with Piper's three children gone, it was strange that they found themselves sitting in more peace and quiet. In fact, it was as though demons didn't even visit them any longer with their "retirement" and at times the ease of their new lifestyle was more stressful than the chaos of their previous existence.

"I just want it to be perfect," Phoebe confessed. "I mean, we haven't had the chance for something like this in years."

"Nothing like a little romance to spark things back into action," Piper smirked.

"It helps that Valentine's Day is like Coop's second Christmas," she chuckled.

Piper snorted with laughter. "Yes, I can still remember hearing the Valentine family history. They are direct descendants of…"

"Saint Valentine of Rome who was a human hybrid of Cupid, the God of love and desire," the two giggled in unison. More than once since Coop had been married into the family, they had heard the story of the Valentine lineage. In fact, during February it became a near legend among all the cousins as Coop gathered them around when they were small children, recanting the tale with fervor. Phoebe dabbed a few tears of laughter from her eyes and sighed. Heaviness weighed down on her bright brown eyes. "Piper, I need to tell you something."

Her older sister immediately ceased her laughter, quickly becoming serious. "What is it?" she asked.

Phoebe shook her head, pulling in a careful breath. "I think I saw Cole yesterday," she confessed. "Okay, I know I saw Cole yesterday."

"That's not possible," Piper shook her head. "He's on a different plane of existence…"

"He's been there a long time. He's smart. He could have found a way to cross over into our world," Phoebe reasoned. Her gaze was wide and desperate. "I know what I saw Piper."

"Where did you see him?" she asked. She was tense now, her grip on the coffee mug tightening with each breath.

"At the restaurant last night when I was with Wyatt. He just appeared. He said he didn't want to hurt me. And then before I could do anything he shimmered back out," Phoebe explained distantly, still replaying the moment in her head. "I keep trying to think of what he could want…"

Piper raised her twisted brow. "You," she replied softly.

"Piper…"

"If he wanted to hurt us or the kids he would have already done it," she reasoned. "What if all Cole wants is another chance with you?"

"It's never that simple with him," Phoebe shook her head. "You know that, Piper."

"Perhaps he isn't back for good," she tried again. "Maybe he . . . I've gotten bad at this I guess . . . I don't know what . . ."

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked in confusion.

"Yeah," Piper replied quickly. "Sorry. A little fuzzy I guess. Hearing about Cole…"

"Brings back a lot of old memories," she finished.

"What do we do?" Piper asked. The question felt strange coming off her tongue. It was a question she couldn't quite remember asking. Usually she was the one with all the answers. Of course, usually she was the one leading the fight.

"I don't know," Phoebe muttered. "I guess that's what scares me most."

"What about the kids?"

"I don't see what telling them will do except add more to their list of newfound Wiccan duties," she answered. "I just feel like I finally have a chance with Coop. The last person I need trying to come back into my life is Cole."

Piper reached across the table and carefully gripped her sister's hand. Their matching eyes connected in confidence. "We'll figure it out, okay?" Piper assured. Phoebe gave a timid nod. "I promise."

* * *

"I don't understand why you're being so hesitant about this," Chris sighed, running a hand through his messy brown locks. He stood in front of the Book, eyeing the page for summoning a demon. Laura bit on her nails, still dressed in light blue scrubs from the hospital. Lila was just as uneasy, pacing back and forth across the dusty hardwood.

"It's Cole Turner," Lila reasoned. "That's why."

"That's why we're doing this together," Chris assured. "Wyatt's here. Nothing is going to go wrong, right Wy?"

"No reason to worry," Wyatt smiled. He lay on the couch, casually tossing an unused crystal back and forth. Lucy sat in a nearby chair, hands clenched around the armrests.

"I mean, do we have to do this today? It's a holiday," Lila tried again. She desperately shifted her gaze to Laura who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it is Valentine's Day," Laura said.

"Yeah, I have a big date tonight I should be getting ready for," Lucy added, both sarcastically and in attempt to squash their whitelighter's plans.

"It's not going to make a difference," Chris assured. "We'll summon him from whatever plane he's on, ask him some questions, and then it's done."

"Well, if all goes according to plan," Wyatt mumbled.

"Wy…" Chris hissed, raising an eyebrow.

"Chris, we already summoned him," Lila finally confessed.

"Ly!" Laura growled.

"What? He's going to realize eventually," she replied.

"Wait; what do you mean you already summoned him?" Chris snapped.

Laura groaned, placing her hands on her hips as Lucy began explaining. "Last week. After we lost Salt," she told him.

"Why?" Chris growled, his anger palpable.

"It was my fault," Laura told him. "I was upset that Max died. I wasn't thinking. I was emotional and I convinced Lila and Lucy to say the spell with me."

"And he didn't come?" Wyatt asked.

"No," Lila shook her head. "We must have done it at least four times."

"Maybe you didn't do it right," Wyatt shrugged.

"Trust me, we may be new at this, but we did it right," Lucy said.

"I can't believe you would think it would be okay to do that without consulting me," Chris growled.

"We didn't think it would be a big deal," Lila sighed.

"Not a big deal? It's Cole Turner!"

"Nothing happened anyway," Lucy told him.

"It doesn't matter! I'm your whitelighter!" Chris shouted.

Wyatt sighed. "Chris, relax…"

"No, I'm tired of you being the good guy and me being the bad guy!" he yelled. "You're supposed to consult with me!"

"You can't control everything!" Lila barked at him. "I know it drives you crazy but we can think for ourselves."

"We're a team!" Chris screamed. The room fell silent. He took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. "Not only did you go behind my back but you lied to me."

"Maybe because we knew this would be your reaction," Lucy hissed.

"Lou, don't," Laura finally spoke up. "Chris, I'm sorry. We're all sorry."

"I just don't see the point," he muttered bitterly.

"The point of what?"

"I sacrifice everything for this family. Hell, I make it my job, and you don't even have enough respect to be honest with me?" he hissed.

"Don't blow this out of proportion," Wyatt advised uneasily.

"Screw you," Chris growled. "It must be nice not having to worry about any of this. You get to sit back with all your power and do nothing."

"Chris, we're sorry, okay? We'll be more honest from now on," Lila told him.

"Don't worry about it," Chris replied. He snatched up his jacket from the sofa where he left it. Before leaving he scanned the room with a glare. "Do what you want, okay? See if I care."

The attic was silent after he disappeared in orbs and Laura gave a frustrated sigh. "He took that well," she mumbled.

"He'll be fine," Wyatt assured.

"I knew summoning Cole was a bad idea," Lucy muttered, casually examining her cuticles.

"We didn't summon him. We failed," Lila growled. She ran a hand through her chocolate waterfall hair. "But I'm not going to let him ruin the best day of the year. We'll deal with it tomorrow."

"He'll come around," Wyatt said. He shook his head, still gazing off distantly. "I just get the feeling he's dealing with something else right now."

"Like what?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. Wyatt forced a smile. "But it'll be fine. You two should enjoy your date tonight."

"And are we still on for our movie marathon?" Laura asked.

"Of course. Ice cream, chocolate, and Ryan Gosling are on the menu," Wyatt smirked.

"At least it'll keep my mind off James," she sighed.

"That's the goal," he nodded.

"I envy you two," Lucy told them.

"Why? You're going to have so much fun on your date with Carson!" Lila said enthusiastically. She grabbed her younger sister by the arm. "Speaking of which, we need to go figure out your wardrobe…"

"I don't think that's going to be necessary," Lucy muttered, giving Wyatt and Laura a cryptic wink. Both exchanged confused glances, before Lila and Lucy flashed out in a pink glow.

"Is it just me or does it sound like she plans to ruin her own date?" Wyatt asked.

"It's not you, it's Lucy," Laura smirked. "Come on, let's go get ready to mourn this horrible day with my good friends Ben and Jerry."

* * *

_Hey! Just another update. As always, trying to keep this thing going. Reviews help and hopefully I'll be able to finish this episode up in the next month :) Thanks ~ Sammy_


	28. All My Secrets : Segment 3

_Garthwar wasn't the most graceful demon. He stumbled as he navigated his way through San Francisco, guided by the intense sensations that knotted in his chest. It was amazing that walking along the flat sidewalk proved more difficult than managing the Underworld's inconsistent terrain. The past twenty-four hours had been ironically one of his greatest. Despite Valentine's Day being the antithesis of all things demonic, it also served as his most successful day of the year. Never were there more cupids fluttering about the streets, vulnerable and cocky in their celebrations and matchmaking. For a demon of hate like Garthwar, it was ideal. _

_Being contacted by the Source himself was perhaps one of his greater moments. Malum called on all demons of hate to combine in an all-out slaughter of Cupids. It was to be an extermination. No one was quite sure what called for such a direct attack against their nemesis but no one was willing to let down the Source. After years of wallowing in the Underworld, the demons of hate were finally needed. Garthwar wasn't one to let the opportunity pass. _

_Of course, it was painful to be in the human world. The positivity and love was far more potent up above than in the Underworld. His senses for it raged so fiercely that he almost didn't know where to turn first. The distinct stink of Cupid, however, was enough to keep him on track. _

_Evening was beginning to set in over the bay area. Crowds outside of restaurants and clubs began to swell. Despite the excess amount of people, Garthwar focused in on his target. It was a slender man. He was dressed in a fine suit, his golden hair combed over. Garthwar nearly growled with excitement when he saw the large stone ring on the Cupid's finger. It seemed far too easy. _

_The Cupid sensed Garthwar before he could get too close and without drawing attention, began a brisk pace down the sidewalk. Garthwar calmly stalked after him, smirking as the blonde ever so subtly glanced over his shoulder in anxiety. The Cupid ducked into an alleyway and Garthwar shook his head. Before the blonde Cupid could teleport out, Garthwar shimmered in front of him. _

"_That was a stupid move," he chuckled. Garthwar easily clenched a wide hand around the Cupid's throat. _

"_Please…" the Cupid begged. _

_In a quick instant Garthwar threw his fist into the Cupid's chest, instantly securing a grip around his heart. The man cried out in terror as Garthwar turned the once pure organ into a shriveling, burning mass. The Cupid instantly fell to the floor and Garthwar disgustedly wiped off his hand. Before the dead Cupid could be absorbed in a pink flash, Garthwar quickly reached down and ripped the ring from the man's finger. With satisfaction he threw it to the cement and in a single stomp, shattered the magical stone. _

Lucy's heart was racing as she snapped out of the premonition. A twinge struck her chest but she was so riled by adrenaline she hardly noticed. She ran a hand through her auburn locks, forgetting that they had been curled and sprayed for her date that evening. Before the premonition caught her by surprise, Gage had arrived, sparing her of Lila fussing over her outfit. By the groan of frustration she heard from below it sounded as though Gage had broken the news that Carson was sick to his beau, easily thwarting the plans for a double date. And then before she knew it Lucy was assaulted by images of the demon of hate and a seemingly cruel fate for Cupids everywhere.

Not caring about whatever mood her sister was in Lucy scrambled out of her bedroom and nearly tripped down the stairs. "Lila!" she called.

Rather than finding her sister she spotted Gage at the bottom of the steps, clad in a dress shirt and suit. "She's not here," he grumbled.

"Why?" Lucy nearly choked.

He furrowed his brow. "What you didn't hear her blow a gasket down here? I think she teleported out to find Carson," Gage explained. Despite his frustration, his face softened with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I just need to talk to her," Lucy sighed. "I had a premonition upstairs and…"

"Look what I found!"

Lila's arrival was announced with her usual spunk. Bunched into her fist was a handful of Carson's shirt, indicative of her successful capture of the youngest Jenkins son. Carson gave a sigh as he exchanged glances with his brother. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Now this double date can happen after all," Lila smiled.

"Great," Gage said through the gritted teeth of a mock smile.

"No, we can't go," Lucy interrupted frantically.

"Lucy, I know you tried to stop Carson from going on this date and . . ."

"What!" Lucy shouted in outrage. She glared at the two brothers. "I did no such…"

Gage gave her a pair of wide eyes, reminding her of the proposal and how his involvement in the near cancelled double date was to be secret. "It wasn't all her fault," Carson spoke up. "I did go along with it."

"That's because you're a gentleman," Lila smiled.

"Please," Gage scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

"Why thank you," Carson smiled.

"Lila, I don't care about earlier, I'm serious now. I had a premonition…"

"Lou, save it," Lila sighed. "I have been through too much today to make this a perfect Valentine's Day and I will not have you selfishly squander it because you don't want to go on a date. Think of poor Carson!"

"It's really okay…"

"It's a demon! There's a demon out there . . ."

"There are always demons, but tonight is Valentine's Day," Lila insisted. She glared around at all three of them as they stood in the foyer, her dark eyes turning serious. "Now, you're all going to put on happy faces and have fun tonight, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," the Jenkins brothers clamored anxiously.

Lila raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Lucy?"

"If you would just listen to me…"

"Let's just let the rest of the family take care of demons tonight, okay?" she cut her off. "Besides, you're already dressed and your hair's done. You look great. Doesn't she look great Carson?"

"Uh, yeah. Yes," Carson stammered.

Lucy gave him a glare before Gage cleared his throat. "All right, shall we go?" he asked, hiding his secret defeat. Lila looped her arm into his and the pair headed for the front door. Lucy gave a bitter frown, folding her arms across her chest as she followed after. Carson gave a deep sigh, bringing up the rear, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Joey wasn't one for Valentine's Day. Perhaps it was a firm stance of masculinity but for whatever reason, maybe the torments of childhood, he never saw fit to celebrate the day. It would be easy to find a date – or at least a hook up for that matter – but in the end it was all artificial. Going through the motions of romance was depressing, rather than inspiring. Perhaps that was his problem; he had yet to find a woman who inspired anything in him but lust. He needed someone to make him more than who he was. And sometimes Joey doubted he would ever find that.

Despite his disdain for the commercialized aspects of Valentine's Day, he weaved through the lobby of Cornerstone Rehabilitation Facility with a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates in hand. He had been making up for the time he lost following his mother's death at the bar with long shifts but had fortunately negotiated with Chris to have February 14th off.

"This is a nice surprise," Kate smiled, glancing up from the worn paperback she read. Joey eased into her room, smirking as his sister clamored to take off her glasses and set aside her book.

"Who said they're for you? I have a lot of admirers," he teased.

Kate only took the roses and chocolate with the eagerness of a small child. Joey warmed with her enthusiasm. In the past few weeks he'd wanted nothing more than to help his sister. More than that, he'd discovered a new sense of allegiance to Kate. With her powers stripped she was among the mere mortals and Joey silently reveled in their new bond.

"You don't have a date tonight?" Kate asked.

He stole one of the chocolates from the box she'd opened. "I do," he replied. "Right here."

"You didn't have to come," she said.

"I wanted to," Joey told her. "Besides, every woman in San Francisco is crazy for love right now. It's best for us bachelors to go into hiding…"

"Right, because you're so irresistible," she scoffed.

"Precisely."

"What's everyone else doing?"

"I don't know. Everyone's so busy, I think the only person I see anymore is Mel and that's just because we live together. I've been trying to pick up more shifts at the club and…"

"Is she going out with Jack tonight?"

"Naturally," Joey said.

"What do you think of him?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

Joey took a pause to cringe and rub the back of his neck. "Well, I don't know. I don't think I end up liking anyone who you guys date and…"

"Joe," Kate cut him off. "This is serious…"

"What do you mean this is serious?" he asked more somberly.

Kate stopped picking through the chocolates on the bed and met her brother's worried eyes. She sat criss-crossed on the mattress and he was now on the edge of his seat, radiating with anxiety. "I think she should be careful," she said.

Joey swallowed hard. "Is he…"

"I don't know. But Mel came here yesterday and was telling me how she can't sense his emotions and that he's been acting strange."

"I knew I didn't trust him," Joey shook his head.

"We can't be sure of anything yet," Kate told him.

"What? We're supposed to be sure when he tries hurting her?"

"He would have done that by now…"

"Or he's just buying his time."

"There's one thing that bothers me," Kate murmured.

"What is it?"

She sighed. "I don't know if I ever told you but when I was in the Underworld, there was a demon that could have killed me. He snuck up behind. I couldn't see his face. He thought I was Sam and he told me to leave."

Joey's face fell further. "That means that Sam has been…"

"That's what I thought but now it makes sense."

"How?"

"The demon could have been Jack. They work together. He could've easily thought I was her," Kate explained. Joey was already bolting up from his seat, shoulders tensed, and dark eyes wild with urgency. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm not going to sit back and do nothing. She's out on a date with him…"

"I promised her I wouldn't tell, Joe, and besides that, we don't know for certain that Jack is a demon," she tried to reason with her brother. It was strange being in this new position of calmness and rationality. Usually it was Kate ready to pounce into the next battle. Now, however, with new perspective, she could see the flaw in such impulsive behavior.

Joey shook his head. "I don't like this. I don't have a good feeling. I didn't have one in the very beginning and now . . ."

"Now we just have to be smart about how we proceed," she cut him off, raising a warning eyebrow.

"I'm not going to do anything," Joey said as he paced. "I just want to check on her. Make sure he hasn't tried killing her or something."

"She's lasted this long."

"It will make me feel better and don't tell me you don't want to know either," he challenged.

"I think this is a fragile situation. Besides, whenever you get meddling with these sorts of things, something always goes wrong."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Remember when you tried to help Wyatt and Chris track that demon? Or how about when you thought it would be a good idea to help Lucy with potions and you nearly caught the entire attic on fire? And don't let me remind you of the time we had to save you from…"

"Okay!" Joey cut her off. "I know I'm not magically gifted like all of you but it doesn't mean I don't want to help. You don't know what it's like sitting back and watching everyone else go to battle. It's helpless and demeaning and isolating!"

"You don't think I know that? Look where I am! I'm essentially trapped here while the world continues out there without me!" Kate shouted. The room fell silent as the two siblings stopped their screaming. The outburst was clearly the product of pent up frustrations and they sheepishly avoided each other's glances. Joey was red with a combination of anger and embarrassment. Kate panted for breath, still riled by her fury.

"I'm sorry you have to know what it feels like," he cleared his throat softly. He stood with shoulders hunched and his fists shoved into his pockets.

Kate only glared down at the comforter of her bed. "Me too," she mumbled.

"I'm going to check on Mel tonight, whether you like it or not. We may not be able to do much but I can at least do that," Joey said. "You may not understand it now, but when this is the only thing you can do to help, you do it."

"Just go Joe," Kate told him. "I don't want to talk about this."

"Reality?"

"It's depressing!"

"You're going to have to go out there and deal with it eventually…"

"You don't think I know that? I've been here, trying to process how the hell I'm going to get my life back! Everything is different! Not just giving up alcohol or guiding my life by these new AA principles but I don't even have the powers I was born with! It's like part of me has been robbed! They might as well have taken an arm or a leg!"

Joey swallowed hard as she ranted. In most cases he could be sympathetic to his family's plights, especially Kate's as of late. But this he couldn't stomach. He shook his head. "You want me to feel sorry for you? Is that what you want?" he asked.

"I want you to understand!"

"I do understand!" Joey shouted. "No one gave a shit about how I felt without powers but now all of the sudden yours are gone and you want all the sympathy in the world. At least you had powers! At least you can still help! You still have a functioning body, a family that loves you, and a chance to start everything over even after you let it go to shit! I mean it Kate; I will never sit and listen to you complain about not having powers. You did this to yourself and I've supported you. But I will not let you act like you're the only Halliwell who has to live without magic."

"I should have known you would be like this. I guess I'm encroaching on your territory? Not so special anymore are you Joey?"

"Is that really all you have to say to me?" he growled.

Kate glared. "I told you to leave," she said.

Joey snatched his jacket up from the bed and angrily turned his back. "Happy Valentine's Day," he hissed, before slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"It's a good thing you didn't go overboard or anything…"

Lucy Halliwell was scolded with a sharp look from her older sister. The group of four stood on the rooftop of an unmarked building – presumably Gage's apartment complex – graced with an ideal view of the glimmering lights of San Francisco. The dark pool of the Bay glimmered and the Golden Gate Bridge basked in a glowing red glory. A table was stationed in the center, surrounded by candles and a few strings of lights.

"I guess it is a little much," Gage cleared his throat.

"It's perfect," Lila insisted, rewarding him with a kiss.

Lucy rolled her eyes while behind her Carson immerged from the building with a pair of chairs. Apparently Gage had planned the night for two and the feeling of intruding on the evening couldn't have been more prevalent. "What do you say we cut out of here early?" Carson whispered in her ear. "I don't know how long I can stomach them cuddling…"

"That makes two of us," Lucy murmured back. Aside from that, no matter how annoyed she was with her sister, Gage was worthy of some private time to initiate his proposal. In fact, the prospect of the engagement was the only thing that kept Lucy from completely ruining the meal.

It could have been much worse of course. The food for one thing was good. Lucy wasn't aware of Gage's affinity for cooking or his seemingly romantic tendencies. The lamb was a little overcooked and the vegetables still too cold but the wine was expensive and the store bought bread was edible. In-between awkward pauses in the forced small talk, Lucy avoided the pressing look of Lila, knowing far too well that the look communicated one of two things; either reprimand or encouragement to be an enthusiastic date for Carson. Before dessert could be presented, Carson cleared his throat.

"I think we're going to go on a walk," he said, glancing toward Lucy.

Lila's eyes widened with excitement at her sister, who only rolled her own. "Yeah," she agreed with Carson.

"Take your time," Gage said, raising a suggestive eyebrow.

"We know," Lucy murmured.

As soon as the two exited the roof, she gave a sigh of relief. Though her tolerance of awkwardness and discomfort was rather high, even Lucy couldn't avoid unease at the dinner. Carson echoed similar sentiments with a groan of his own. "What do you want to do?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "How long do you think it will take?"

"I'd give them thirty minutes," Carson replied. He held open the door for her and the two left the apartment complex with satisfaction. "You still like ice cream?"

"Are you still lactose intolerant?" she asked.

Carson smirked. "I can fight demons but I can't drink milk."

"It's certainly not as cool as kryptonite," Lucy told him.

"I think it still has a superhero-esque quality," he replied.

They walked in silence for a moment, hands in their pockets, hair moving with a faint breeze. "So you're living here now?"

"Yep. Graduated from University of Oregon last term. I'll take the bar exam in a month," Carson told her.

"So you're going to be an attorney," Lucy scoffed. "I'm not surprised…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were just always such a law abiding citizen, that's all," she told him.

"Well, I don't remember you being a beacon of rebellion, either," he said. "Besides you're going to school at Stanford? I'm sure they admitted you because you're so unique, not because you followed the rules or have a genius IQ."

She gave him a gentle shove and Carson laughed. "You're just jealous," Lucy insisted.

"That's me. Always jealous," he nodded.

"Comes with the youngest sibling territory," she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"Ah, don't get me started on that," Carson said. He enthusiastically teetered on the edge of the sidewalk, sticking his arms out for balance. His bright eyes glimmered with the familiar happiness of boyhood that Lucy long ago remembered. His neatly kept light brown hair stuck out at a few ends.

"You haven't changed at all," she mused, not meaning to say it aloud.

Carson smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment," he replied. He gingerly stopped his performance of balance on the curb and glanced around. "What do you say we head to the pier?"

Lucy shrugged and followed after in agreement. Her auburn ringlets of hair were manhandled by the night air, slowly losing their bounce and retreating to more natural waves. She kept her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jacket. Carson stared down at his leather shoes with each long stride. "Your mom must be pretty proud," she spoke up. He glanced up in confusion and she quickly elaborated. "You know, going to law school…"

"Oh, yeah," Carson shrugged. "I guess. I mean, mom's always been a little more enthusiastic about the magical side of things."

"Going to school to be the family architect didn't seem to have much appeal either," Lucy chuckled.

"Well, we wouldn't want to work our brains too hard. Not when we have powers and demonic foes," Carson winked. He shrugged. "I guess the magic calling has never held much merit for me. It's not like I'm the firestarter."

"Hey at least you're not the least powerful of the Charmed Ones," Lucy said.

"You're still Charmed. That means something…"

"Yeah, sure it does. It means that they need me to hold their hands and chant a spell every once in a while," she clarified. "I mean, don't get me wrong; I'm not bitter."

"No, of course not. You don't sound bitter at all."

"I'm serious!" Lucy insisted, shoving him to prove her point. Carson laughed as he stumbled a few feet, hands up in surrender.

"All right, all right," he conceded. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was such a touchy subject with you."

"It's not."

Carson considered continuing their good natured jeering but only smiled. It was a crooked smile. His dimples twisted at an endearing angle that made Lucy want to grin but she resisted the urge. He kept his gaze trained on her and she glared. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

Lucy looked away, focusing on each foot forward, doing her best to remain disenchanted by her potential suitor. "Why'd you let Lila set us up?"

"I didn't," Carson said. "I mean, I didn't know it would be with you."

"But you still wanted Lila to find you a match for tonight?"

"Yeah," he shrugged.

"Why?"

"I don't know," he scoffed. "She offered and I thought it couldn't hurt. No one wants to be alone on Valentine's Day."

"I don't mind."

"Of course you don't," Carson shook his head.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You just seem so set in your ways. Too cool for everything and everyone because you're so intellectual and sarcastic and bitter about being the youngest."

"Well, congratulations, this date is now over and you're officially alone on Valentine's Day, jackass," Lucy growled.

"I didn't mean it like that," Carson sighed.

"Oh you didn't mean to insult me?"

"Did it come across that way?" he winked.

"Yes!" Lucy shouted in outrage. "I knew this was a bad idea. I'm going to kill Lila…"

"What I meant is that you're far more than you believe yourself to be. And you hide behind this mask of wit and cynicism when deep down you're better than that," Carson explained genuinely. Lucy stopped her steps and peered up at his youthful but simultaneously masculine face.

"You haven't seen me in five years and you come to that conclusion?"

"I've always believed it," he shrugged. "Five years doesn't change anything. You're still the Lucy Halliwell I knew."

"And you're still a smooth talker. You'll make an excellent lawyer, let me tell you," she said, desperately brushing off his compliment and continuing onward. Carson sighed in frustration before following after.

"I think you've become more difficult with age," he decided.

"And I think you've become more…" Lucy's words stopped as a foreboding sentiment took over her entire form. The breath stopped in her lungs and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She tried to relax but the feelings meant only one thing.

"What's wrong?"

"It's happening," Lucy said.

"What?"

"The Demon of Hate," she replied. "I think it's Lila and Gage."

"Are they in trouble?"

"I don't know," Lucy murmured before breaking out in a run down the street. Carson, still struck with confusion, quickly turned on his heel and sprinted after her. The two desperately rushed toward the apartment complex.

* * *

While it was hard to accept the condo as a romantic setting, Phoebe Halliwell had done her best. After all, the house held too many memories of spit up, tantrums, first steps, and squabbles for it not to be associated with raising children. Even as she and Coop sat at the table set up in the living room, their three daughters stared down at them from photos on the wall.

"You didn't have to go through so much trouble," Coop sighed for the second time that evening.

"It wasn't any trouble," Phoebe assured. Two candlesticks glowed in the center of the table, capturing the aged but enthusiastic couple in a dim gold light. The second of the three course meal Wyatt had prepared was now only a few scraps of food on Phoebe's fine porcelain dinnerware.

"I should have been the one to put all this together," he insisted.

"I knew you would be busy with Valentine's Day."

"That's exactly the point," Coop muttered. The subtle wrinkles along his tan face deepened with quite distress.

"What's the matter?"

"It was exactly this kind of thing that drove us apart before. My calling always came before everything else," he grumbled in dissatisfaction. His frustration was clearly with himself but Phoebe couldn't help but frown. "I wanted us to start over on a clean slate and I feel like it never will be if I'm constantly preoccupied with charges and …"

"I'm not complaining."

"Well, I am," Coop said. His hurt was palpable and guilt radiated out of every pore. Phoebe cringed at his tangled emotions. "All I keep thinking since we started seeing each other again is that I screwed up the best thing I ever had. And now that I have it back, I see everything I did wrong. And I live in constant…"

"Fear that you're going to lose it again," Phoebe finished for him. His chocolate eyes met hers with pitiful honesty. She reached across the table and wrapped her hand around his large palm. "I'm here. I'm here and I don't want to go anywhere, Coop. I love you."

A glimmer of emotion made his eyes glassy and Coop managed a gentle smile. "I love you too," he said. "If it's at all possible I love you more now than I did twenty-seven years ago."

"That makes two of us," she told him. She squeezed his hand tighter.

"I know things got ugly at the end but I'm willing to take the leap if you are," he said.

"I'm here aren't I?" Phoebe smiled. He mirrored the gesture. For a moment, despite the obvious silver tips of Coop's hair and the subtle creases at Phoebe's cheeks, it was as if they were back where they started. Back in the condo. Back in their home. Back in love. Though Phoebe wasn't one for self-pity, she could only believe that it's what they deserved. They were worthy of the romance they once shared. They were worthy of a second chance. After all, she'd not only served as a Charmed One but she'd given birth to the new Power of Three. Surely, somewhere along the way she'd gained enough positive karma to have something worth lasting in her life.

"Shall I get dessert?" Coop asked. He kissed her hand before standing from his seat, carefully gathering their finished entrees.

Phoebe watched adoringly as he retreated to the kitchen. Their future was still uncertain – as always seemed to be the case among Halliwells – but at least for a short while, they could revel in the illusion of normalcy. Of course in most cases such instances were short lived.

The distinct sound of breaking dishes echoed from the kitchen. Phoebe instantly cringed. "Was that my good china?" she called from the table.

There was no reply and her concern quickly fixated on her husband. "Coop?"

A denser thump rattled the kitchen and Coop grunted. Phoebe quickly pounced up to her feet and scrambled into the room. Coop was caught in the middle of an altercation with two demonic foes. While he had the better of one of them, the second was clutching to his back, strangling him from behind.

Phoebe instantly ripped the demon from Coop's shoulders. The two of them stumbled to the linoleum floor. Phoebe grumbled as the heel of her new pair of shoes broke. In the meantime, her enemy quickly rolled on top of her. She expertly twisted out of his maneuver, slamming the edge of her palm into his face. Before she could get to her feet, the demon, though bleeding from the mouth, yanked on her ankle, bringing her back down to the ground.

Only a few feet away, Coop dodged the fireballs of his own adversary. The first nearly skimmed his head and the second had him ducking out of the way. As he recovered, Coop expertly swiped up the nearby skillet, and with one powerful swing, smacked the demon in the face. His foe quickly dropped to the ground, allowing him to come to Phoebe's aid.

Though his wife was surely capable of handling the demon on her own, Coop couldn't help his protective streak. He angrily pulled the adversary off of Phoebe, tossing him aside with ease. Phoebe gave a sigh, brushing the lose strands of hair off her forehead. "I had it," she muttered.

"Sorry," Coop chirped. "We're getting too old for this…"

"Coop!"

The fireball came quickly, hardly giving either of them a chance to react. Coop moved aside with only seconds to spare, but the sphere continued past him, bouncing off of Phoebe's shoulder with a scalding sensation. "Phoebe!"

Before Coop could reach her, the demon clenched an arm around his throat from behind, teasing his throat with the sharp end of a blade. "I wouldn't move if I were you, Cupid," he hissed. The demon's partner slowly ambled over, rubbing the back of his neck in agony. "Take his ring!"

While the gem was rudely ripped from Coop's finger, he watched Phoebe in concern. With resiliency she clutched her wound and started to rise to her feet. "I'm okay," she told him.

"Tell her not to move!" the demon with the knife demanded.

Coop took a long breath, remaining a calm hostage. "Don't move," he whispered.

She nodded, though Phoebe's dark eyes flashed with fire, suggesting all the horrible things she planned to do to their adversaries. The demon who had Coop's ring studied it in intrigue, while his companion roughly shoved the Cupid against the wall. "This was far too easy," the demon muttered.

"You're a demon of hate," Coop realized under his breath.

"Coop…." Phoebe muttered in anxiety.

The demon of hate brought back his fist, prepared to throw his hand into Coop's chest and secure a fatal organ. "Stop!" the second demon shouted.

Everyone in the room froze in confusion. The demon slowly lifted his gaze from the ring. His partner glared in confusion. "What is it?"

"It's him," he explained, gesturing to the gemstone.

Phoebe and Coop's faces fell in bewilderment but the two demons seemed to understand. With complete seriousness, the one with a hold on Coop cleared his throat. "Let's go," he said.

Before Phoebe could react the trio shimmered out. She glanced around the destroyed kitchen and then down at her wounded arm. With a sigh she glared up toward the ceiling. "Wyatt! Chris! Girls!"

* * *

"You're hogging all the popcorn."

"Shhhhhh!"

Sam's face dropped at the simultaneous hushing she received from Wyatt and Laura who kept their gazes glued to the television screen. She swiped away the bowl of popcorn from Laura's grasp, hardly engaged in the romantic fantasy unfolding in the movie.

"I don't understand how you guys can stand this. It's so sappy," she groaned.

"Do you have to be so cynical?" Laura asked. "Just because you have to be alone on Valentine's Day doesn't mean you have to ruin the movie for the rest of us."

"Hey! You're alone too!" Sam shouted.

"James and I are just taking a break," Laura insisted quietly.

"Sorry," Sam muttered. "I shouldn't be giving you such a hard time."

"Thank you."

"I mean with Gage proposing to Lila tonight and all…."

"What!" Wyatt exclaimed in excitement. Laura choked on a piece of popcorn as her copper eyes widened. "That's great!"

"Are you kidding me?" Laura wheezed.

"Nope. Lucy told me today," Sam explained.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"She probably didn't want to make you feel bad," Wyatt insisted. Laura punched his bicep. "Ow!"

"It doesn't make me feel bad. I'm happy for them," Laura insisted with more gusto than necessary. "And as for the oldest having to get married first, it makes no difference. I mean, aunt Piper got married before aunt Prue and aunt Paige before mom. I mean, do I wish it was me? Of course. But maybe some of us just aren't meant to be married…"

"Oh don't be so dramatic. You're going to find to someone and be wedded in bliss," Sam told her cousin.

"You don't know that."

"I'm with Laura," Wyatt nodded. "Some Halliwells just aren't destined for marriage."

"Don't tell me you're giving up too. You're supposed to be the family optimist."

"I'm not being pessimistic. I'm just saying, there's a fair chance that I'll never marry."

"Where's all this coming from?" Sam asked in confusion.

"Yeah, what about Alex? I mean I know she couldn't spend tonight with you but at least you have someone. Not like Sam and I . . ."

"Speak for yourself," Sam cut her off. The snarky comment came quicker than she could stop herself and she almost instantly regretted spewing a possible revelation. While Laura's mouth dropped in confusion, Wyatt continued obliviously.

"Well, you see there's actually something I wanted to tell you about Alex…"

"What do you mean speak for myself?" Laura spoke over Wyatt, eyeing Sam with intrigue. "Is there someone I don't know about Samantha?"

"No, no, I was kidding. Wyatt, go ahead, what were you saying?" Sam stammered unconvincingly.

"This is hard for me to explain but…" Wyatt started only to be interrupted a second time.

"Don't change the subject," Laura said. "You've been acting strange and going off without telling anyone anything and I'm not the only one who's noticed."

"It's nothing Laura!"

"You are the worst liar!"

Wyatt, though flushed of most color, cleared his throat. "So as I was saying…"

"We can't afford to have anyone sneaking around right now," Laura warned her cousin.

"I slept with a manticore okay!" Sam blurted loudly.

Both Wyatt and Laura faltered with confusion. "You what?"

"I didn't know at first but it happened. And now he's helping me in the Underworld."

"In the Underworld?" Wyatt choked.

"He's not as bad as he sounds."

"Okay, maybe you want to start from the beginning, like what the hell you're doing in the Underworld? Do you have feelings for him?"

"For Nick? No! No of course not…"

"As I said, terrible liar," Laura muttered.

Wyatt shook his head in exasperation. "Okay guys, I really just need a minute to get this off my chest."

Laura and Sam were too deep in their own conversation to notice. "He's just helping me," Sam tried desperately.

"Do what exactly?"

"I'm gay!" Wyatt shouted above them.

His voice rang through the apartment, echoing with defiance that brought Sam and Laura to complete silence. Wyatt swallowed hard, slow to recover from the intense revelation. Laura cleared her throat to speak first.

"I'm sorry, Wyatt, did you say what I think you said?" she asked.

"I'm gay," he repeated gently. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to share it like that. I just don't know how much longer I can go on keeping it a secret."

"Don't apologize Wy," Laura soothed, placing a gentle hand on his back. Sam scooted closer, though her brown eyes were still wide in surprise.

"Honey, how long have you known you were…uh you know?" Sam asked cautiously.

Wyatt shook his head, "Nine years, maybe ten," he muttered. Both girls gasped and he blushed. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything…"

"No, it's not that. I just can't imagine keeping something like that to myself for so long," Laura replied. Sam nodded in agreement.

"We're not judging you, Wyatt. And for the record, no one else in the family will either," Sam added. "We love you no matter what."

"I know," he muttered, still bowing his head in embarrassment. "I just feel like a fraud. All those years of never bringing girls home. All those years of sneaking around and lying to everyone. Lying to myself even…I'm going to be thirty years old in eight days and it's taken me this long to be honest."

"Wyatt don't beat yourself up. This had to come out on your own time," Sam assured.

"Yeah. This is about you, not any of us," Laura nodded.

"I need to tell my parents," he murmured, still recovering from the gravity of sharing. Wyatt stared off distantly, shaking his head, hands still clasped together with nerves. He took long, deep breaths. "I need to tell everyone."

"You don't need to do anything you don't want to do," Laura soothed. Wyatt was her best friend, or at least the person in the family she always seemed to turn to. He was her rock and in this moment, it pained her to see him so conflicted and alone. Wyatt's sexual preference was as important to her as his shoe size, but the idea of him having to hide something for so long seemed dark and unfair. It was a wonder he could keep such an optimistic nature when keeping something so guarded. Secrecy was consuming and distracting and nauseating. Surely, the years of anxiety had worn him down and all this time, she hadn't had a clue.

"I'm sorry for how I this came out. I didn't mean for it to be this way…"

"Stop apologizing," Laura whispered, squeezing his shoulder. "As crazy as things seem, we're here for you too."

Sam nodded in agreement, though she struggled to grasp the entirety of Wyatt's words. The thought that Wyatt could be gay never crossed her mind in her twenty-five years. He'd always been an older brother figure; strong, sweet, and wise. Sure there'd never been any girls in the last seven years but she always assumed he had the same problem as everyone else in the family; no time for a normal, romantic relationship. Now she didn't feel betrayed but amazed that she'd failed to notice anything before.

"Thanks for being so understanding. You two are the first people I've told," Wyatt muttered. He ran a hand through his gold locks, nervously grinning with his ever charming smile.

"Well, it's an honor," Sam smirked. "But I have to ask; does this mean there's no Alex?"

Wyatt blushed. "No there's an Alex. Just uh, a man Alex."

Before more could be exchanged, both Wyatt and Laura stiffened in their positions. The hair on the back of Laura's end tickled to a point and Wyatt stared up at the ceiling in somberness. "You feel that?" Laura asked him. Wyatt nodded.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"It's mom," Laura said, already on her feet. Wyatt moved just as quickly, forgetting their conversation instantly.

"Should I come?" Sam asked.

"No, we've got it," Wyatt assured. The two cousins left in a flash of color, leaving Sam in her apartment with an empty bowl of popcorn and voices coming from the ongoing romantic comedy. She sighed, chewing on her lower lip. In the silence, left with her own thoughts, she couldn't avoid it.

It was Valentine's Day and the only place she wanted to be was with Nick.

* * *

Despite the occasional chill that came with February, the San Francisco night was tranquil and temperate. A nearly full yellow moon glowed against a navy backdrop and from the rooftop, the city sounds fell to just a sweet whisper. While Lila soaked the scene up with vigor and wide brown eyes, Gage watched her with as much intrigue.

"Everything's perfect," she said.

"Good," Gage smirked. "That's just how I wanted it."

Lila graced him with a dimpled smile that inspired the butterflies in his stomach to take flight. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand with his own. "This is our third Valentine's Day together," she realized.

"One of many more," he said. He was almost trembling with nerves as the anticipation danced through his veins. He'd rehearsed his proposal speech more times than necessary and still sweat beaded at his neck and his heart palpitated. Gage knew Lila loved him but that said nothing for her answer. She was unpredictable. She was independent. She was a Halliwell. He knew the task ahead was no easy one as he thumbed the box in his pocket.

"You okay?" Lila asked him. "You seem stressed."

"No, no, I'm just thinking," Gage stammered. He took a deep breath. "Wow, I'm sorry, I didn't think this would be so hard."

"What would be so hard?"

"Lila I love you," he spat uneasily. He was going off script and he inwardly cringed.

She tilted her head in confusion. "I love you too, Gage. Honey, what's going on?"

"I've just been thinking about us. About how I want things to be. Well, not just how I want things to be but how you want them to be. Well, how I hope you want them to be…" he rambled with red cheeks and Lila squinted in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"What I'm trying to say is that these last three years with you have been the best of my life. When I'm with you I feel whole and I feel like I can be the best version of myself. And in the moments we're apart, those short instances during the day, I want you. I need you. And when I think about before, I don't know how I got by," Gage swallowed down a pit of emotion and fumbled with the ring in his pocket. "And when I think about the future, I only think of you."

Lila's chocolate eyes twinkled as they caught the light. She gripped his hand harder as if anticipating and feeling the same energy that dominated him. Her heart fluttered. Heat warmed her perfectly round cheeks and her lips trembled into a scared smile. She didn't know how she'd failed to see it before. She was a cupid, after all, surely she should have sensed his intentions. And even now as she watched him across the table it seemed unreal. Every girlhood fantasy was finally culminating into a sweet, breathtaking, declaration from Gage. All that was missing was the ring. "Gage, I…" Lila swallowed, unable to express the right sentiment.

"Don't say anything yet," he smirked, digging in his jacket.

The moment was becoming all the more dreamlike as Lila kept her eyes on him, hardly able to fathom the near perfect moment. Before Gage could produce whatever was in his pocket, however, Lila's dream quickly became a nightmare. Her brown eyes widened in horror. "Gage…" she sputtered.

"Just please, let me, try to get this out, I …"

"Gage! Look out!" Lila's voice echoed from the rooftop as a demon rolled up a hot red fireball.

In an instant, their engagement was put on hold.

* * *

_Long time no update! I hope you all enjoy this installment. I know there's a lot going on in this one - especially with Wyatt - and I'd love to know what you think. Sorry for such delays between updates. Not only has it been hard to just get in the rhythm of writing but since college my journalism work has gotten a lot more intense! Thanks for sticking with me - Sammy_


	29. All My Secrets : Segment 4

Melinda took a particularly long time to slice into her fish, shivering under the heavy gaze of Jack. The pair had been locked in awkward quiet since he picked her up for their dinner downtown. Even small talk was difficult to make, usually ending in uncomfortable silence. Melinda averted his eyes and Jack nervously fiddled with his napkin. The anxiety of what she could possibly know or suspect drove him crazy and for Melinda deciding whether or not to confront him was just as difficult.

"Is your food okay?" Jack asked.

She nodded, still keeping her gaze away from his. "It's good," she confirmed.

Finishing off the last sip of merlot in his glass, Jack pulled in a breath of frustration. He patted his lips dry before speaking. "Is everything okay?"

"Why wouldn't they be?" Melinda asked a little too quickly to trust. It was a blurted line she had clearly prepared for the question.

Jack couldn't suppress the slight quirk of his mouth into a frown. "I don't know," he shook his head. "You've just been distant. I wish you would be honest with me…"

"I found something, Jack," she confessed shrilly. Melinda swallowed hard as she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. "I didn't want you to think I was snooping but you were acting weird. And I – And I saw this plane tickets for halfway around the world and money…lots of money. I didn't know what to think."

He tensed as she shakily got out the last few words, still refusing to look into his eyes. "That must have looked awful," he nodded. "But you don't have anything to worry about Melinda."

"I don't? How do I know I can trust you?" she stammered. This time she dared to look into his eyes. They were a haunting, solid, dark sapphire. They held the same tenderness as always but something about their edge made her tremble. He seemed to fidget with anxiety and he chewed on his lower lip.

"I was helping a friend," he breathed. Melinda watched with the same tension. Jack nervously adjusted the tie around his neck. He hadn't expected to supply her with such honesty but suddenly it was spilling out. "I know, that's what everyone says, but it's legitimate. He needed to get out of the country."

"So it wasn't for you?" Melinda asked. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"It was a fragile situation," Jack said.

"I could have helped," Melinda replied. She immediately regretted doing so. Her status as a protector of innocent lives was still undisclosed and would have to stay that way.

"How?" Jack asked. He reached across the table, grabbing her hand into his. "I appreciate it. I'm sorry for not being honest with you. I want us to be comfortable with each other."

"It's okay," she said. The warmth of his hand made up for the previous coldness of his countenance. His tender touch sent shivers up her spine. "I've just been hurt before. I don't want this to end like all the others…"

"It won't," Jack assured. And yet inside he cringed. Surely there was no way for them to end peacefully. For now he would ignore the pangs that were to soon torment them. He kissed the back of her hand. "I love you."

"I love you too…"

Aliah lurked callously behind the couple, easily lounging at a table of her own. The menu hid her imploring face and the glare that narrowed her dark eyes. The thought of her son – her dear Delezar – taken by the very woman he was to destroy, the descendent of their greatest enemy, made her twist with rage. She exerted desperate self-control as she eavesdropped on the pair, finally giving up as she bolted up from her table and whisked behind a nearby pillar.

Killing Melinda Halliwell would be an ugly task. She didn't intend to carry it out so publicly but at this point in time she couldn't bear to know the girl was even breathing. Delezar would hate her forever but at least she could save her son from misery. She cursed herself for allowing him to turn out so soft and human. If anything killing Melinda would be a favor. He may disown Aliah for it but it would at least bring out the type of hatred and ruthlessness necessary to be a demon. In any case it seemed one fireball would solve all their problems.

With surprising elegance and poise, Aliah carefully produced a flame in her left palm. The restaurant was in such chaos that few took notice of her clandestine nature. She peeked out from behind her hiding spot, satisfied with her angle. Jack's back was toward her and she only had to hope that Melinda wouldn't catch sight of her and use her powers to complete the task. A twinge of delight made the dimples at her mouth deepen as she took stealth aim at her target.

"A public assassination?" a deep voice interrupted. "That's in poor taste Aliah."

She immediately glared as the dark suited man blocked her path, a cocky smirk streaking his familiar face. "You bastard," Aliah growled.

"You look beautiful," he smiled.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don't kill the Halliwell girl," he answered. "Or ruin our son's date."

"Oh he's our son now?"

"Where else would he get his looks?" Cole Turner asked with a cheeky grin. Aliah punched his chest in fury but it did little to phase the legendary demon. He easily straightened his black satin tie and gave a sigh. "So are we going to have a drink or do I have to make a scene?"

"No, I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to kill that little witch…"

"I'd like to see you try," Cole cut her off. He forcefully took her arm into the crook of his elbow, nodding casually at one of the waiters and another couple who passed them as he led her back to their empty table. He leaned in close to her ear as he pulled out her chair. "You're going to have to get through me if you plan on killing her."

Aliah glared, keeping her small mouth in a tight line as Cole slipped into the chair across from her. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I already told you," he sighed as he opened up a menu, nonchalantly scanning the entrees. "Where's your husband? It is Valentine's Day isn't it?"

"He's busy. And last I checked it's a human holiday, not a celebration of demonic sorts," Aliah replied. She glared around the restaurant, holding up her empty wine glass with bitterness.

"You didn't seem to think so when I took you out for Valentine's Day," Cole said.

Aliah rolled her eyes. "Things change Belthazor," she said. "After all it's been how many years? Ten?"

"Sixteen," he said. The waiter quickly arrived, anxiously refilling Aliah's glass. From the looks of it, Aliah had already successfully instilled fear in the young man.

"Can I get you anything sir?" he stammered.

"Scotch and your house steak. Bloody," Cole answered. He smiled at Aliah. "And bring one for the lovely lady as well."

Aliah rolled her eyes as the waiter bolted off. She slowly nursed a drink before clearing her throat. "What are you really doing here Belthazor?"

"I love when you call me that," he sighed. "You really do bring out the demon in any man…"

"You didn't answer my question," she told him. Despite the interesting history of their relationship, Aliah could never shake the heat and desire Cole stirred up in her. She'd been with plenty of demons and men but he was like no other she ever conquered. It was perhaps why their son was her most precious possession – he was the one piece she had of him.

Cole seemed to shake with agony. He pulled in a calming breath. "I can't do it. I can't watch him make the same mistakes I did," he confessed.

"You're talking about Phoebe Halliwell aren't you?" Aliah rolled her eyes. She took another gulp of her wine. "You still can't get over her. Even when we were together all I'd hear was talk of this mystery woman."

"You know I loved you Aliah," Cole said.

"Not like you loved her," she told him. "Trust me, I don't take offense. But if you think you can pay penance by helping Delezar you're too late. He's already made a mistake. He loves her."

"Then he has to give up his position with the Brotherhood …"

"That is his birthright," Aliah glared.

"It doesn't mean he is saved from the choice. He can't have her and his place. I tried and it failed."

"Malum has sent him…"

"Malum is a disgrace," Cole grumbled.

"Oh really? From where I stand he's the Source and you're not."

"He's smart but not powerful enough to rule the Underworld."

"You sound jealous."

"Don't be ridiculous," Cole growled.

"He asks about you. He wants you to help him…"

"I've received his messengers."

"And killed all of them."

"Ah so then Malum did get my message?"

"I don't understand what you're trying to prove. We're all on the same team. You could have all the reign you like…"

"I don't want to work with Malum. I don't have any interest in taking down the Halliwells."

"Then what are you doing? Huh? You've certainly had a lot of time on your hands."

"It's not your business…"

"You're still searching for those stones, aren't you?"

"It's not your business," Cole answered. He glanced across the room, watching Jack and Melinda finish their dinner. They laughed over conversation. Yes, they were in love. He would have never thought it'd be his son and Piper Halliwell's daughter but it was love. And he couldn't take another century watching it fail. "They're happy together."

"Not for long," Aliah sighed. She ran a hand through her luscious brown curls. "I know you don't understand but I only want what's best for him."

"As do I," Cole replied.

"Are you sure it's not just about proving yourself to Phoebe?" she asked bitterly.

"I know that chance has long passed. But I can at least give Jack a happier ending," Cole muttered.

"Do what you want. I've never been able to stop you before. But good luck," Aliah said. "I'm sure the father who abandoned him is the last person Delezar will be willing to take advice from."

* * *

The wind sliding through Lucy's hair and grazing her face brought a feeling calm, only to be ruined by her anxiety and worry as she desperately ran to meet her sister. Carson's heavy footsteps echoed behind her, his breathing uneasy and tired. As they reached the apartment complex, he slowed his steps, hands on his hips. "Come on, let's go!" she told him.

"Not all of us are former cross country stars," Carson grumbled, wiping his brow as he huffed after her. In a scramble the pair clamored up the several sets of stairs, not stopping until they reached the door with roof access.

"Lila!" Lucy called out immediately as she scanned the area. Her heart sunk with terror as she examined the overturned table and chairs. Shattered glass and destroyed remnants of the once romantic dinner were tossed about. Carson appeared just as shaken as he slowly weaved through the mess.

"Gage?" Carson yelled, searching the roof. The table cloth and a few other shard of wood were on fire, smoldering with the breeze.

"Over here," a weak voice coughed from a short distance. Lucy and Carson scrambled to find him, hidden beneath the broken pieces of table.

"You okay?" Carson asked as he took a knee next to his brother, slowly helping him to sit up.

"Fine," Gage coughed. A gash spurted with blood at his forehead and bruises were becoming visible around his face. His suit jacket and shirt had been torn and a few other traces of trauma marked his body.

"Where's Lila?" Lucy asked. She picked up a nearby napkin that had survived the demon attack and pressed it to Gage's cut. He hissed in pain before answering.

"They took her," he answered. "They came out of nowhere. I tried to help but there were so many. I have to go find her…"

Gage rushed to his feet and Carson quickly steadied him. "Hold on, just take it easy," Carson advised.

"You're not going after them alone," Lucy nodded. She cleared her throat and with hands on her hips tilted her head to the sky. "Wyatt!"

* * *

Phoebe squirmed impatiently as her nephew held a few glowing fingers at her forehead. The warm healing sensation was soothing but not enough to evaporate her fear for Coop's safety. "I think they know he's related to the Halliwells," she explained for the third time.

"We got it mom, just relax," Laura sighed as she sat in the kitchen chair next to her. "We'll find out who did this."

"Have you called Lila?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, she's not answering though," Laura told her.

"I'm sure the proposal is a little distracting," Wyatt chuckled. "There you go, good as new…"

"Proposal?" Phoebe repeated. "What proposal?"

Laura smacked Wyatt's arm at his revelation. "You can keep your own secret but you can't keep anyone else's can you?" she said.

"What secret?" Phoebe asked in confusion.

"Laura," Wyatt hissed.

"Sorry," she apologized.

"Someone tell me what you're talking about. Who's proposing?"

"Gage to Lila. Tonight."

Wyatt and Laura both cringed at Phoebe's squeal of excitement. The previously worried mother now bounced with vigor. "You're sure? How do you know?"

"Gage told Lucy and Lucy told everyone else," Laura replied.

"Oh this is so exciting!" Phoebe grinned. "We're going to have a wedding! We have to start planning. Oh this spring would be just perfect…"

"Well, we'll have plenty of time for that later," Wyatt said, slightly amused by his aunt's enthusiasm.

"Yeah maybe we should focus on getting dad back?" Laura rolled her eyes.

"Right," Phoebe nodded, still unable to contain her smile. She refocused herself as they sat in the kitchen, quickly becoming somber as she saw the strewn pots and pans. "I don't think they wanted to kill him. They were about to and then they left…"

Laura slowly paced about the kitchen, stepping over the broken glass and ruined dessert. Each stride seemed to amplify the familiar tingle of adrenaline and power that frequently surged in the middle of demonic strategy and attack. This situation in particular stirred up her sense of urgency and drive. Someone had attacked her unsuspecting parents. Someone had hurt her mother and kidnapped her father. As a child the prospect would have only instilled fear. Now as a young, powerful, experienced woman the situation inspired focused rage and determination.

"I think I can sense him," Laura announced.

"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked.

"I can sense the trail the demon took to escape with dad. Maybe if I follow it we can find him," she suggested.

Wyatt chewed his lower lip and shook his head. "I think we should get Lila and Lucy first. Chris will want to know what's going on as well," he advised. Phoebe nodded in agreement. "In the meantime maybe you two can start scrying and …"

His words were cut off as the familiar cry of family in need rang through his ear. Phoebe and Laura didn't need any extra confirmation to know what the frown on his face meant. "Who is it?" Phoebe asked.

"Lucy," Wyatt replied. "I'll be right back, don't go anywhere…"

In a hurry Wyatt orbed out of Phoebe's condo, leaving the mother and daughter deep in concern. Phoebe sighed, shaking her head at the turmoil. "I can hardly stand just sitting on the sidelines anymore. You'll understand one day when you have children of your own who are getting attacked and in danger and you aren't in a position to protect them any longer…" Phoebe glanced over her shoulder to find no one in the kitchen other than herself. Her mouth dropped in disbelief. "Laura? Laura!"

As soon as Wyatt was out of sight Laura departed in a secretive pink flash, easily following the route her father recently travelled on, burning through her senses like fire. The miles and continents flew past her in a single breath and before she knew it the ride was over, landing her square in the Underworld.

Square in the Underworld and straight into a trap.

As soon as she opened her eyes, her stomach fell with anxiety and failure. She was surrounded by thick, rusted metal bars, deep in the darkness of a cave. "Shit," she cursed. A pair of demons grinned at her arrival in the cage and behind her the familiar voice that led her to such circumstances croaked in surprise.

"Laura?" Coop asked. He was seated in the corner of the locked chamber, brown eyes shiny with fatigue and astonishment.

"Hi dad," Laura sighed. She scolded her stupidity and unhappily plopped to a seat at his side. "Happy Valentine's Day."

* * *

"What do you mean it's boring? It couldn't be boring," Chris insisted sweetly. His jade eyes were taken by the brunette on the couch next to him. The gentle glow of lights in the apartment captured the pair in a tender golden hue, setting an atmosphere of closeness. After a romantic dinner in town Chris and Bianca retired to the pent house, opened a bottle of wine, and for a long awaited moment simply enjoyed each other's company.

For Chris it couldn't have been more perfect. There were no crazy family members, no demons, and no work. For Bianca there was no police force – no demons and assassinations – simply romance. The dimples at Chris' cheeks were becoming exhausted from a continuous exercise of smiling. He was completely taken by her. A single look at his adoring eyes gave away the passion that grew for her in his heart.

"It is boring. I became a cop because I knew I could be good at it," Bianca answered shyly. She rested her head on the cushions of the couch and smiled. "I know you want me to say something admirable like I did it because I wanted to make a difference and help people but that's not why I did it…"

"Then why did you do it?"

"It's stupid," she groaned. "I don't know why you make me tell you these things."

"Because I want to know everything about you," Chris replied gently.

"Oh no you don't," Bianca scoffed. "Besides, like you should talk. You're not exactly an open book."

Chris would have protested if it wasn't for the fact that if things continued as they were, he'd be forced to share his biggest secret – the one he'd never shared with anyone outside of his family. The secret every Halliwell loathed to reveal. "I suppose you're right," he nodded. "But you could at least answer my question…"

"Call me an adrenaline junkie," Bianca sighed. "The adventure, the action, the pursuit, those are the things that drove me to being a detective. The fact that I get to help people doing that isn't half bad either."

"Is it bad that I am so turned on by you right now?"

Bianca gave him a teasing shove and Chris grinned widely. In an instant their heads were close and they stole a kiss. He tangled his fingers into hers, holding her hand simply to feel it's softness and revel in their intimacy. As they pulled away from the kiss he pressed his lips to the palm of her hand, only to come up in surprise.

"Is that a tattoo?" he asked.

Betraying her effort to remain conspicuous, Bianca quickly pulled away her hand from his grip. She covered the mark of the Phoenix at her wrist, hiding it from Chris' imploring eyes. "It's nothing," she stammered.

"What do you mean it's nothing?" he asked in confusion. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about…"

Her reaction was surely only making the situation worse and Bianca swallowed hard. There was no coming out of this one and she knew it. "It's a birthmark," she told him. She slowly removed her hand.

"Why would you want to hide it?" Chris asked.

"I wasn't hiding it," Bianca insisted.

"You were too," he replied. He ran his hand over the orange colored mark. "It looks like something…"

"No it's doesn't," she spat quickly. Heat warmed her neck and cheeks. It was becoming impossible to not crack under the pressure. She scolded herself for not hiding the birthmark – a sure giveaway of her true lineage. She only prayed Chris would move on from the subject and forget about it. Unfortunately she got the feeling he wasn't going to let up.

Before Chris could delve into more details about her birthmark or secrecy, a thump on the door interrupted them. His jaw immediately locked. He'd asked Wyatt to give him until at least midnight at the pent house. And while he ignored the calls of the family, he knew that there were enough Halliwells on hand to avert crisis. As another impatient knock came however he grimaced at the idea of a ruined romantic evening.

"Shit," he murmured.

"Who's that?" Bianca asked.

Before Chris could rise and answer, Wyatt and Lucy came charging through the door. "Hey asshole, we've been calling you for the past…" Lucy's words came to a pause as she took sight of her cousin's guest. "I mean, sorry to interrupt."

Wyatt in the meantime was less understanding. His eyes widened. "Detective Lawrence?"

"Nice to see you again, Wyatt," Bianca said calmly.

"Wyatt, I thought you said I could have the pent house tonight," Chris hissed.

"I did but it seems we have an emergency and you weren't answering our calls," Wyatt said raising a warning eyebrow at his brother.

"Yeah and when were you going to tell us about her?" Lucy asked.

"Okay that's beside the point," Chris sighed, blushing in slight embarrassment at being caught with his secret girlfriend. He ran a hand through his hair. "Is this a serious emergency?"

"Is there any other kind of emergency?"

"Chris, don't worry. I had a nice evening," Bianca said, gathering her jacket and purse from the couch. She pecked a kiss onto his cheek and then nodded to Wyatt and Lucy. "This has been sufficiently awkward. I'll leave you to deal with the rest of your night. Good luck with your emergency…"

The trio watched as Bianca departed, waiting until the door closed behind her to release there withheld reactions. Chris immediately groaned in frustration while Wyatt and Lucy gasped. "Seriously?" Lucy gasped. "Please tell me you're sleeping with her to keep her off our backs?"

"It's more complicated than that," Chris said.

"And when were you planning on sharing with us that you're dating the detective investigating aunt Paige's murder? The one trying to pin her death on us? She could expose us Chris. This is so irresponsible," Wyatt told him in disgust.

"I don't need a lecture," Chris growled.

"Okay as Jerry Springer as tonight is becoming can we please focus up? Lila was kidnapped by a Demon of Hate and dad was too," Lucy said. "I'm sure we can save this drama for another time."

"You're right," Wyatt nodded. "Let's finish this fast so we can get Chris' head checked."

"Oh screw you," Chris rolled his eyes as the three orbed out.

* * *

Joey kept his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans as he wandered across the empty graveyard. Despite winter's chill still clenched around February, the San Francisco evening was tolerable beneath his jacket. A few dim lights made the tombstones visible, some shaped high above the grass and others simple plaques on the ground. Joey's shoes crunched the flakes of frost on the floor and a dreary San Francisco fog circled up to his knees.

Since the age of twelve the Joey had spent plenty of time at the graveyard. Since Henry Sr.'s death the family was accustom to visiting at least once a month. With Paige's passing, however, the twins and Joey found themselves wandering through the tombstones more often than not. It was a rather unconscious, natural route by now. In all the trips he'd memorized every divot and hill around the plot of land. He recognized nearly every name of every grave site, and only when he picked up his head did he realize someone was already at his spot.

She hardly glanced over her shoulder when she heard her brother. He slowed next to her and together they stared down at the matching granite tombstones. "Hey Sammy," Joey murmured with a sigh.

"Hey," she replied. Sam sniffled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to surprise Kate."

"I did. We got into a bit of a fight," he said. He shook his head. "I feel awful about it."

"She's fragile right now," Sam told him.

"I know," Joey nodded. He paced a few steps away, absently kicking at a tuff of grass. "We'll be able to patch things up. What about you? I thought you had a movie night."

"I did. Wyatt and Laura got called off for demon duty," she said. "I didn't feel like waiting for them."

"Yeah, it somehow feels extra depressing on Valentine's Day," Joey chuckled. "I thought of crashing Melinda's date with Jack but I realized it could wait…"

"You hear about Kate's suspicions?"

"About Jack? Yeah," Joey nodded. He quickly became serious, focusing on his sister with intrigue. "You know him. You think it could be Jack?"

"I wouldn't normally," Sam said. "Of course as of late I don't feel like a very good judge of character…"

"What makes you say that?"

"Too many things," she sighed. Sam slowly reached out, tracing a hand down Paige's grave. The granite was cool beneath her fingertips. It never failed that when in doubt or trouble she found herself here. Sure, Paige and Henry rarely spoke from the grave with answers, but something about being in their presence brought calmness.

Joey rubbed the back of his neck as he watched her. He chewed on his lower lip. "You've been trying to track mom's killer," he said.

Sam instantly looked up, brown eyes twinkling with surprise. "How'd you know?" she asked.

"I'm not an idiot. I notice you're gone all the time," Joey said. "I know everyone else is too busy to see but I'm your brother. I do."

"I should know I can't hide anything from you," Sam smirked sheepishly.

Joey nodded. "I know I can't stop you. But I hope you're being careful. Going after this alone is dangerous and…"

"I'm not alone, Joe," she revealed gently.

This time Joey's brow furrowed in surprise and he eyed her suspiciously. "So someone in the family is helping you? That's good though, right?"

"It's not someone in the family," Sam looked down, giving a deep sigh.

"Who is it?" he asked coldly.

"His name is Nicholas. Nick," she started. She nervously traced her fingers across the tombstone, examining the dimly lit cracks and lines. "We met before mom died. We were together I guess, until I found out – found out that he was a manticore."

"A demon," Joey corrected. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to maintain his composure. "You're still seeing him?"

"Not like you would think. He's only been helping me find clues about mom's case. He has connections in the Underworld obviously and he doesn't let anything happen to me and…"

"You have feelings for him," Joey cut her off.

The entire graveyard seemed to go silent. The two siblings stood frozen, staring at each other as if it could erase the question. Sam thought of denying him but quickly saw little point. Joey was more than just a brother, but her ally and confidant. There was no reason to hide from him what he already suspected. If anything the Halliwells couldn't afford anymore secrets.

"I don't want to," Sam whispered. She swallowed hard, glancing away from Joey's static brown eyes. "I know I shouldn't and I try not to. But no matter how much I deny it, it's there. And tonight's Valentine's Day and all I can think about is being with him…"

Joey kept his hands in his pockets. The fog continued to move in circles, covering the ground beneath his feet. A few sparse stars were visible in the distance. "Does he feel the same way?" he asked.

"I don't know," Sam muttered. "I mean that makes it even worse, doesn't it? I know I'm an idiot and I know what you're going to say. And I came out here tonight because I couldn't stand fighting myself on these feelings. We weren't even together that long and I don't even know if he's interested in . . ."

"You deserve to be happy Sam," Joey cut her off. He took a few steps away, pacing around the space until he stopped at his father's grave. The grave with the same name as his own. It was rather morbid in some ways. As a young teenager it scared him. It made his morality clear and death imminent. Even now, ten years later, he shivered at the prospect of his name on a tombstone. "Whenever I come out here, it's usually to try to figure out what mom or dad would have said."

"Me too," Sam frowned.

"But they don't always answer. Or at least, I never think they do," he sighed. He leaned against the tombstone, gazing off. "You know what I always come away with though?"

"What's that?"

"This never fails to remind me that someday we'll be here too," Joey said. "We face death constantly. Demons, fireballs, hell, daggers, magic. It's a wonder more of us aren't dead."

"I don't think it helps to think like that," Sam told her brother. It scared her to hear him so pessimistic.

"I know you don't but it's true. No one talks about it or thinks about it."

"Because if we did, we'd be paralyzed by fear."

"But it's not meant to scare us," Joey explained. He met her eyes, a palm still on his father's grave. "It's meant to remind us that we only get one chance. That we could die at any moment. And because of that we can't afford to pass up a chance at happiness…"

He drifted off and Sam's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you getting at?"

"I don't know. I mean, I've been thinking about Kate. And about Melinda and Jack…" Joey sighed. "And I have to think that things have to happen for a reason. The world would just be cruel and not make any sense if it was otherwise. I mean this – our parents being dead – that doesn't make any sense. Kate being in rehab and losing her powers doesn't make any sense. Melinda dating a possible demon and you being in love with one doesn't make sense. But it all happens anyway. And some good happens along the way too. And sometimes I think rather than fighting it, like we fight everything else, maybe it'd be better to just accept things as they are. To just follow the path of least resistance and see where we end up…"

"This is a new philosophy," Sam said at the end of his rant. "Where did all this come from?"

"I don't know. I guess I've been trying to figure things out lately. Figure myself out especially," Joey replied. He shook his head. "I think you should see how things work out with Nick."

"You're serious?" Sam choked. "You're giving me your blessing?"

"No," Joey said. "I just don't think you should hold back at a chance to be happy."

* * *

Lila blinked open her eyes with a groan, immediately flustered to find her arms restricted and pinned by her head. Messy brown hair covered her view and she quickly shook her head to gain a fuzzy view of her captors. The two demons watched her in intrigue, nudging one another as she came to. "She's awake," one of them growled.

She swallowed hard, growing concerned as she found her wrists in magic binding metal cuffs. She hadn't been terribly hurt – banged up, sure – but as far as she could tell they hadn't harmed her. Even now they stood posing little threat. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Cupids," Garthwar answered. He slowly moved toward her, his leather boots shuffling along the concrete floor. They were in a warehouse, far from the likes of the Underworld. It only amplified her confusion. The large, hairy man stopped in front of her. He slowly opened his fist, revealing a sparkling gem. "Is this yours?"

Lila examined the ring in his finger and gave a small nod. "Yes," she said.

"But you are not Coop Valentine," Garthwar grumbled. He took another step closer to her. Lila's nose scrunched at the smell of his body odor and breath. He glared in anger. "Did you steal this from him?"

"No. It's mine," she told him in confusion. "What do you want? Are you looking for Coop Valentine?"

"That's none of your business," Garthwar spat.

"What are we going to do?" the demon behind him, a skinny man silent until now, anxiously paced back and forth. "Can we kill her now?"

"No," he answered, his gaze still heavy on Lila. "We'll wait until he tells us what to do."

"Who?" Lila asked.

"You'd be smart to not ask questions," Garthwar growled. He held up the ring one more time. "Are you a cupid?"

"Yes," she replied.

"And is this your ring?"

"Yes," she answered again.

"You lie," he snapped.

"She tells the truth," a calm voice interrupted from the shadows. Garthwar quickly took a nervous step back, hiding the ring back in his fist. His companion instantly straightened up, listening to the set of heavy footsteps coming their direction. Lila kept her eyes on the darkness, watching as a tall, broad figure made his way toward them.

"We tried to do what you asked your excellency," Garthwar stammered. "We found the ring…"

"I'll take care of things from here," the man assured.

Lila's mouth dropped as he peeled out from the shadows. The dark hair, blue eyes, and countenance were unmistakable. She may have never met the man but the pictures and description were burned into her mind. She trembled in her shackles and in a whisper she managed his name. "Cole Turner…"

* * *

"How long have you been here?" Laura asked her father.

"Not long before you came," Coop answered. The two watched as their captors paced about the cave, murmuring to one another, passing the Coop's ring back and forth.

"It sure looks like they had their way with you," she frowned.

"I'm alright," he told her with a tired smile. Laura carefully examined the cut at his cheek and the bruises forming around his jaw.

"You might need stitches," Laura said. She leaned back against the bars of the cage, knees pulled to her chest. She swallowed hard. "So you were with mom when it happened?"

Coop gave a slow, guilty nod. "Yes."

"Are you two together now?" Laura asked with a sigh.

"It's complicated…"

"It always is, isn't it?" she rolled her eyes with a scoff.

Coop frowned. "You're not happy about this are you?"

"I really don't care, dad. Do what you want," Laura answered.

"You can talk to me. I mean, you used to talk to me. I really don't know what happened," Coop sighed. "I mean, I know what happened."

"I rather not talk about this. And besides, it doesn't seem like now is the time," she told him bitterly.

"From where I'm sitting now is the perfect time. We may be stuck together for a while. We might as well tackle this while you have to endure my company," Coop suggested. "Because believe it or not, I'm here to stay."

"You see, that's the problem. I don't care anymore if you're here to stay. I cared when I was fifteen years old and I wanted a dad to be around and not just on weekends. Now it's too late," Laura said. She shook her head. "You couldn't make it work when it counted. Now you expect me to be happy that you're seeing each other again?"

"I understand why you're angry…"

"No! No you don't," Laura hissed. "You don't get to say that to me. And you don't get to try like I'm the irrational one for being angry with you. I should be angry with you! And I don't care that it's been ten years because the hurt doesn't go away that easily."

"I'm sorry," Coop said sheepishly. "I know it's never meant anything to you when I've said it before but I'm sincerely sorry. I wish there was a way I could fix it but I know I can't. All I can try to do is make things better now."

Laura's jaw locked in place and she quickly looked away. She swallowed hard. "Well the best thing you can do now is just leave it alone. I don't want to talk about it. In fact, I don't want to talk to you at all."

* * *

_Another update! Finally haha. I'm really trying to finish this episode up and as always move the series along. Like I said before, I have a lot of ideas, it's just a matter of time and inspiration. I'm sorry for such delays but I hope it's apparent that no matter how much time passes I want to come back to this story! Reviews really really help and I hope to continue to recieve more. I know there are quite a few followers out there so leave a note if you can! Thanks again to those who are still reading :) ~ Sammy _


	30. End of Episode Six

As Piper Halliwell loaded tea cups and sugar onto a tray in the kitchen she failed to shake the fatigue heavy in every bone and rampant in each shallow breath. The tired ache reached all the way through her fingers, pounding her head with a dull throb. It wasn't that she expected anything less than chaos – regardless of the holiday – but the stress of kidnapped nieces, Demons of Hate, and the prospect of Cole Turner still looming had her closer to the edge of breaking than before. Though the years of witchcraft and demon hunting had given her a variety of experience, she was also less durable and exhaustion seemed to set in much quicker.

"Honey, you don't have to be doing any extra work," Leo sighed, entering the kitchen behind her. He took her near trembling hands from the mugs, forcing her to turn around and look at him.

"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe keeping busy is actually what helps me maintain sanity in these situations?"

"I think you're tired and I think you need to take it easy," he said. A frown pulled at his face and he traced a finger down Piper's cheek. "I'm worried about you."

"Don't be," she told him.

"I really wish you would just relax until we know exactly what the diagnosis is…"

"As of now there is no diagnosis. Nothing is wrong and I'm not going to sit back fretting about it when I can be helping my family," Piper snapped, hastily returning to what occupied her before. A bought of coughing interrupted her efficiency, forcing her to pause and cover her mouth with a hand as she regained her wheezy breath.

Behind her Leo's consternation increased. He ran a hand through his gray and gold locks, the subtle wrinkles at his eyes and lines along his cheeks deepening with dismay. "Piper…" he sighed gently. "Please."

She swallowed hard, past the soreness of her swollen throat. Cool sweat, the same cool sweat of fever that seemed to produce almost every night, coated her neck. Her shoulders fell further with fatigue and quiet defeat. It broke Leo's heart to watch her turn and face him, eyes sunken and shiny. In the last month she'd lost close to ten pounds. At first it'd been dismissed as a symptom of severe grief from Paige's death, but as the weeks passed and her frailty intensified, it became clear that something was most definitely wrong. And now as she continued to wither with fever, grapple for breath, and fade with exhaustion, Leo could hardly stand witnessing her suffering. It was typical Piper to resist weakness and carry on in spite of hardship if it meant keeping a strong front for the family, but it was simply becoming too much. Even she was beginning to feel the wear of her stubbornness.

Without a word, Leo grabbed her small form into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. She felt brittle in his hold and he longed for nothing more than to stay frozen in the position, protecting her from all the stresses and pains that surrounded them. But even he realized that was not a possibility. Though they were no longer the ones charged with winning the battle against evil, their responsibilities were just as great – if not greater – than before. Guiding the next generation took new care, patience, and time. And more than anything, it involved a fresh dose of worry. For that, he knew they couldn't hide out in the kitchen forever. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You're not going to be able to help anyone if you're not healthy Piper," he said. "You have to take care of yourself honey."

"I know," she whispered. She sheepishly glanced back at the tray behind her. She knew no one would want tea at a time like this but it was of few ways she could help it seemed. As of late the head ache prevented her from a moment of focus and her memory was fuzzier than she wished to lead on. Escaping from the attic brainstorm to the kitchen – the one place she could count on – was a safe option. She cleared the roughness from her throat. "We should go back up there."

Leo nodded though he wished not to. He slowly grabbed the tray of steaming tea and together the two ascended the stairs, quickly pushing Piper's health to the back of their minds, as the voices of family drifted loudly from the attic. The tones rang with the familiar urgency, irritation, and strain of demon tracking on a time restraint.

"I still can't believe she would take off like that," Chris groaned. He hovered above a series of maps with Lucy, scrying desperately for the eldest of the Charmed sisters.

"Well, don't blame us. Maybe if you were around instead of snuggling up with . . ."

"Lucy, I'm with you on this one, but now is not the time," Wyatt cut his cousin off. As if to prove his point he met his brother's eyes with a firm scowl. "We'll talk about it later."

"How's it coming?" Piper asked as she entered the attic, Leo at her side. The space was crammed more full than usual with her sons and Lucy crowded around one table and the Jenkins boys scrying at the other.

"No luck so far," Gage sighed as he impatiently swung the crystal above a map. Carson rose to his feet, clearing a space for Leo to set down the tray of tea.

"Where's Phoebe?"

"Right here," she announced herself, casually entering to join the group. She gave Piper a smile. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow some clothes, but there's no point in enduring heels to look good for a date whose been kidnapped…"

"It's been fifty years and nothing has changed. You really think I'm going to start fighting for the security of my closet now?"

Phoebe produced a smile for her sister as Piper and Leo nestled into a seat on the couch on one side of the attic. Phoebe grabbed a cup of tea in the meantime, desperate to hide her worry from the others in the room. She hated to admit that her anxiety would be less if it was her in charge. When she and her sisters were the Power of Three kidnappings and demons were nothing new. With her husband and daughters missing, however dependable her nieces and nephews were, she couldn't find it in herself to feel comfort. She longed for nothing more than to take up the hunt herself. Instead, attempting to push down every pessimistic thought in her head, she sipped on her tea and tried to maintain an appearance of little worry. The last thing she needed was let on she was scared and increase the pressure on her family and future son-in-law.

Speaking of future son-in-law's Gage stood from the table in defeat, running a hand through his hair that was now flaked with ash and dirt from the battle. Wyatt had healed the gashes at his face but his clothes were in rather poor shape. He'd removed the tie from around his neck and tossed the jacket to the attic floor. His proposal had gone completely haywire and now he wasn't just filled with bitterness and rage, but he coped with the fear of returning his future bride. "We should have listened to Lucy," he groaned to no one in particular. He paced a few steps, hands on his hips. "I knew this was all going to go wrong…"

"Don't beat yourself up honey," Phoebe advised, patting his shoulder.

"But I do appreciate the sentiment," Lucy quipped, looking up from her work. "Remember you should always listen to Lucy. You're going to be such a nice addition to this family…"

"Shut up," Chris teased, giving her a nudge at the table.

"I got something!" Carson announced. The crystal had dropped into the heart of San Francisco, marking the location of Lila and causing both Gage and Chris to sprint over to the table. "I know there's a block of warehouses on this street and …"

"I'm going," Gage was already tensed on his feet, determination in his hazel eyes.

"You're not going alone," Chris advised.

"I can go…" Carson's offer was essentially unheard and ignored by the rest of the Halliwells.

"Wyatt, you go with Gage. We'll stay here and try to track Laura and uncle Coop. If we get Lila in time she might be able to help us get them back," Chris ordered.

Wyatt nodded in agreement, already on his feet and taking a place to stand near Gage. The oldest Jenkins' son was teeming with adrenaline and aggression and Wyatt placed a calming hand on his arm. "It'll be okay. Just relax and we won't make any mistakes," he advised. Wyatt gave the family a nod before departing. "We'll be back soon."

Carson rolled his eyes as the pair orbed out, slowly shuffling to take a spot near Lucy. "That was a nice offer to help," she winked.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it," he chuckled in response.

"I hope they're careful," Phoebe sighed.

Leo and Piper nodded in agreement from their positions on the sofa. Leo kept an arm around his wife's slender shoulders, brow dipped in thought. He cleared his throat, garnering the attention of Lucy, Chris, and Carson. "You three have been scrying for Laura?" he asked.

"Unsuccessfully," Chris nodded. "I'm getting the feeling she may be in the Underworld…"

"Have you thought of having scrying for Coop?"

"We tried but dad's not coming up either," Lucy replied.

"What about Phoebe?" Leo suggested. "Her tie with Coop is the strongest. She may not be able to call him from here but perhaps their connection will be enough to locate him…"

Phoebe was already at the table with the young witches, easily taking the crystal from Lucy. She focused on her ex-husband with the same sentiment she exercised to call him to her aid. The crystal swung rapidly over the map, looping from side to side in the style Phoebe perfected over the years. The group was silent, watching anxiously as a few minutes passed.

Until finally the crystal dropped.

In an instant Chris and Lucy were on their feet. "Tell Lila and Wyatt where we went," Chris said. "Hopefully this won't take the Power of Three."

"Come back if you can't handle it," Piper advised desperately. "There's no reason to put yourself in unnecessary danger…"

"We can handle it mom," Chris told her with a smirk.

Carson gave Lucy a smile of his own. "So much for just having to chant a spell once in a while," he winked. "Good luck Halliwell."

"Thanks Jenkins," Lucy replied before being engulfed in Chris' orb.

* * *

Though it was nearing ten o'clock and the office was surely empty, Sam fumbled with her set of keys to the Bay Mirror. Work wasn't her first choice on Valentine's Day but at least it was something to do. She knew she could be back at the manor, helping with whatever crisis was surely taking place, but that held little appeal as well. So instead she stumbled into the office, gathering a few last interviews to get started on her most recent article.

"This is just sad…"

Sam jumped at the voice, quickly turning to find Nick behind her. His arms were folded across his chest as he leaned against a file cabinet. "I hate when you sneak up on me like that," she growled, swiping up a stack of papers.

"What are you doing here?" Nick asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Sam replied.

"I was looking for you," he said, taking a few steps away from his spot. He casually picked up a baseball from the desk marked Jack Mason and tossed it from hand to hand.

"Why?"

"I don't know," Nick shrugged. "I figured we could discuss a new plan of attack…"

"It's Valentine's Day," she said.

"You're right and I hate to ruin your romantic evening," he replied cheekily. Nick carefully replaced the ball and met Sam's eyes. "Don't tell me you're alone on Valentine's Day."

Sam tried to keep her mouth from falling into a frown. "You caught me," she said. "Not that I care. It's just another day of the year…"

"Right, that's what everyone without a date says, myself included," Nick chuckled. "I guess I just assumed you'd be with someone tonight."

"Yeah well between work and my obsessive demon hunt, there's a little time to meet anyone," Sam sighed. She sat on the edge of her desk, holding the paperwork to her chest. "Believe it or not you're probably the closest thing to a social life I have as of late."

"Well you certainly get the short end of the stick on that deal," he replied. He took a step closer to her, his dark eyes mesmerizing as they caught hers. "Believe it or not I've enjoyed our time together. Even if the circumstances aren't ideal."

Sam glanced down, trying her best not to blush. The thunder in her heart made it near impossible to breathe. "I've enjoyed it too, Nick," she murmured.

"I know we were never conventional. And I know how you feel about demons and what your family would think. I mean, I of course have a reputation myself but…"

Before Nick could finish Sam's hands flew to his cheeks, pulling his face toward her own. In an instant his soft lips were against hers, his tongue quickly finding its place and his hands flying around her waist. The familiarity of the position made it all the more passionate as Sam's work dropped to the floor in a messy flurry of papers. Shivers crawled up Sam's spine as his fingers grazed down her sides and neck. She held a fistful of his black hair in her hands, instantly remember the taste of his mouth she craved. Nick held her tightly, enthusiastically directing every kiss and touch with the smoothness that drove her crazy. They came up for air only momentarily, quickly going back to enjoying the closeness of one another.

The jar of pens on Sam's desk spilled over and another file of paper was shoved to the floor as the two shook the table. Nick slowly peeled back Sam's sweater as she unbuttoned his collar. Hardly heard above the commotion was the arrival of another in the Bay Mirror office, only made known by a light cough.

"Sorry to interrupt," Jack Mason said, blushing at the awkwardness as Nick and Sam scrambled to stand up straight. "I promise I'll be gone soon…"

Sam was red with embarrassment as her colleague hurriedly gathered a few things from his nearby desk. Nick in the meantime watched him with wide eyes. "Sorry, we didn't hear you come in," she stammered, anxiously tucking her hair back into place. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date with Melinda?"

"I just dropped her off," Jack answered, looking up at the pair for the first time. His eyes settled on Nick momentarily and the recognition fluttered in his baby blues. He shifted his work to his other hand. "Well, I should be going. I thought I'd catch up on some work…"

"Me too," Sam said.

"I can see that," Jack smirked. "Don't worry, it'll be our secret."

"Thanks," she sighed. "You know Valentine 's Day and all…"

"Of course."

Nick kept a death glare set on the man, only snapping out of the trance when Sam spoke up. "How rude of me. Jack this is my friend Nick Rizzo. Nick this is Jack Mason. He writes a sports column here and he's dating my cousin Melinda."

"Nice to meet you," Jack managed. Nick shook his hand stiffly and the two men remained locked in a knowing stare off. Jack cleared his throat. "I should be heading off. Happy Valentine's Day."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Sam said. "And do me a favor, don't tell Mel."

"My lips are sealed," Jack replied, his sapphire eyes tight on Nick's for one more pause before swiftly heading out.

Sam sighed in relief as the front door to the office closed, running a hand down her face. "I could die of embarrassment," she said. Nick was silent and motionless, stuck in a furious stance. Sam watched him in confusion. "Are you okay?"

"I think we just found your man," Nick said seriously.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"I know him and not because of his byline," he replied. "Jack Mason is Delezar, head of the Brotherhood of Thorn."

* * *

"Where'd you find her?"

Cole Turner's icy stare remained fixed on Lila Halliwell as he asked the pair of demons who lingered behind him. The young woman watched him in terror, her chocolate eyes transfixed on the legendary demon. He looked exactly like the photographs she'd seen except in person his presence was much more fearful and demanding. With her arms latched to the wall behind her, constricted by stiff metal cuffs, she awaited her fate with pure horror.

"She was with another witch," Garthwar answered uneasily. Even the demons were terrified by Cole and it only confirmed Lila's anxiety. "I'm beginning to think she's not a Cupid at all."

"Give me the ring," Cole demanded, holding out a large palm. Garthwar obediently returned it to him, setting the jewel in his grasp. Cole examined it for a moment, his eyes flashing with intrigue. He studied Lila's face. It was unmistakably Phoebe's and he fought to keep himself from melting inside. "This is yours?"

Lila only managed a nod. Her mouth was in a tight line, her eyes wide like saucers. Cole turned over the ring in order to show her the markings on the inside. The initials C.V. were printed into the gold frame. "What does that stand for?"

She thought of refusing to answer but knew it'd only lead to forceful measures brought on by her captor. "Coop Valentine," she said. "It was my father's. He gave it to me when I became a Cupid."

"Your Phoebe Halliwell's daughter," Cole stated gently. "A Charmed One."

Lila tried moving her wrists but it was to no avail. Behind her the demons were twisting in excitement at the discovery of their successful kidnapping. "What do you want?" she asked.

"You're her oldest?" Cole asked, ignoring the girl's question.

"Middle," Lila replied softly. She swallowed hard. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I haven't decided," he answered. He paced away. "This certainly isn't how I expected things to go. But now that I consider it, it wouldn't be a bad idea. Malum wouldn't be able to stand it if I were the one to bring down the new power of three. And who better than me to do it? After all your mother and aunts put me through…"

Lila pulled in a steadying breath, trying her best to remain calm. She scanned the warehouse, desperately searching for a possible way out. As for now, there was little she could do but stall until help came. "We summoned you," she managed shakily. "Is that why you're here?"

Cole smirked. "I hate to crush your ego, but I've been plane hopping for some time now. I'd heard rumors of the new Charmed Ones but didn't quite believe it until you began pestering me with that summoning spell. I had to see for myself who had the nerve to demand my presence. I should have known only someone of the Halliwell family would be so reckless," he said.

"What do you want with my father?"

"The Source called for a pointed attack on Cupids. I thought I'd do my part by killing the one Cupid who got what I always wanted," Cole replied drearily. He took a seat on a nearby crate, flipping the ring up and catching it. "I thought killing Coop would somehow make me feel peace."

"And now?" Lila asked.

"Now that I've had some time to reflect, I realize it won't change anything. It won't change that he has three daughters with Phoebe. And it won't make her love me," Cole said. "I've come to a point in my life where pure evil and revenge just doesn't have the appeal it used to…"

Lila pulled in a breath. "So now you're going to kill me instead?"

Cole gave a rough sigh. "Probably not," he said. "You look too much like her to begin with. And why would I want to help Malum in anyway? Besides, killing a Halliwell isn't going to help me get through to my son. Yes, I'll probably let you go."

Behind him Garthwar and his partner growled. Cole glared back at them. "I'm not opposed to killing you though," he warned the demons. He straightened his black jacket as he stood, slowly approaching Lila and taking the ring back from his pocket. He took her slender right hand in his own, happily placing himself inches from her face. The memories and feelings overwhelmed him. It was as if for a moment Phoebe was near him all over again. With care he slipped the ring back onto her finger. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again."

"Thank you," Lila muttered. Her dark eyes were inches from his. "I think."

"Someone should be coming for you soon," he said casually. He slowly released her hand from his. "Put in a good word with your mother for me…"

With that Cole Turner shimmered out, leaving Lila with Garthwar and the second demon. The two glared at her, snarling in disgust. "Just because he wouldn't kill you, doesn't mean we won't," Garthwar spat. He took pulled out a dagger from his belt, prepared to approach Lila without a second thought.

Before Garthwar could make a move, a flash of blue and white lights landed in the warehouse. As Cole predicted, Wyatt and Gage were well on their way to insuring Lila's safety. Gage instantly sent the nearest demon into flames, using his pyrokinesis with efficiency before sprinting to his girlfriend's side. In the meantime Wyatt threw Garthwar across the warehouse with an energy blast. The demon groaned in pain as he slammed into a pile of iron barrels. Before Wyatt could blast him again, Garthwar shimmered out, leaving the trio safe in their victory.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Gage said breathlessly as he freed Lila's hands from the restraints. He showered her soft, round faces with kisses, instantly taking her into his arms for an embrace. Lila hugged him back, though her eyes were still wide with shock.

"You okay?" Wyatt asked as he came up behind the pair.

"Fine," Lila nodded. She studied Gage's slightly bruised face. "What about you? I was so worried you were hurt…"

"I'm fine. Lucy and Carson came back for us in time," Gage answered, still elated to find her healthy and unscathed.

"I guess I should've listened to Lou," Lila shook her head. "You wouldn't believe the night I've had here."

"Well, you'll have to tell us about it after we get back. Laura and uncle Coop were taken too. Chris and Lucy are tracking them now," Wyatt said.

Lila's mouth dropped in worry but Gage rubbed the back of his neck. "As much as I'd like to help them, there's something I need to do first," Gage cut in. Wyatt and Lila both granted him a skeptical look but he offered pleading eyes. "It will only take a few minutes. Wyatt can orb us there…"

* * *

Only silence existed between Laura and Coop as they sat side by side in the cage. They watched as the demons paced back and forth, growling and grunting as they waited for someone to instruct them on how to proceed.

"So you didn't have a date tonight?" Coop asked.

Laura's copper eyes flickered and her jaw locked into place. "I ask you not to talk and you think a good conversation starter is my failed love life?"

"I'm trying here! It's not easy when my oldest daughter hates me…"

"I don't hate you," Laura huffed.

"What happened to that doctor? Jim?"

"James. We broke up," Laura said shortly.

"I'm sorry…"

"I rather not talk about it…"

"It's because you couldn't tell him you were a witch, wasn't it?"

"Dad!" Laura growled, causing the demons to glance over at them in confusion.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Ladybug. Being honest with a person is a big step, especially when it's a secret like ours. One day you'll be ready to…"

"I don't need or want advice from you about this. In fact, have you ever stopped to think that maybe it's watching your failed marriage that makes me so hesitant and unable to sustain any intimacy and honesty of my own?" Laura snapped.

Coop was quickly silenced by her outburst and bashfully lowered his head. "I guess I never considered that," he murmured.

Laura sighed. "I know you just want things to go back to the way they were, dad, and in a way I do too…"

"But you're too busy hanging onto the past to move on," Coop spoke up. This time his dark eyes set heavy on his eldest daughter. He cleared his throat. "You can't let what happened with your mother and I ruin your chance at a relationship. And for that matter you can't let it ruin our chance at being close again.

"I know you may not want to accept it but I'm going to be around from now on. Not just because I intend to be back with your mother but because I'm not going to waste any more time being estranged from you or your sisters. I've screwed up once before and I'm not going to do it again by missing out on your lives any longer. You girls aren't just Charmed Ones now but your women. Your sister's getting married, you have a career, and Lucy will be out of college soon. Before I know it I'll have grandchildren and more son-in-laws.

"I screwed up before, I'm the first to admit that, but I'm trying again. And I hope you'll try again too," Coop finished seriously.

Laura chewed on her lower lip and swallowed hard. "It hurt so bad when you and mom separated. I know it wasn't just your fault but in my eyes you were always the one who left," she sniffled. "I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't trust you to stay."

"You and your sisters were still so young," Coop muttered sadly. "I thought I was doing less damage by giving your mother space."

"Why didn't you try to work it out?"

"We did. We tried and it simply wasn't working. We loved each other and we loved you girls but our lives became more complicated than we could have anticipated. I never imagined my life with a family. In some ways, I think I made a poor father to begin with . . ."

"You weren't a bad father," Laura assured. "You were a lot of things but you were never that."

Coop gave a sheepish smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she nodded. Laura sniffled. "It will take some time but I guess you're right. I don't want to keep pushing you away when we have the chance to be a family again. This whole Charmed thing has offered a lot of perspective."

"For me too," Coop said. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed his forehead to her temple. "I love you."

"I love you too, dad."

* * *

Chris and Lucy wobbled to their feet as they landed in the Underworld. While waiting for Wyatt to return with Lila would have been a safe move, it was little surprise that they chose the more risky option. If there was one thing rampant among the entire family it was surely a lack of patience.

"So I'm guessing you're over being angry with us about summoning Cole?" Lucy asked her cousin as they slowly treaded through the gravel cave.

"There's not much I can do now I suppose," he replied dryly. "Though I would appreciate it if you would include me in your plans from now on."

"Will do," she said. A cheeky smile lifted her cheeks. "I'm sure it seems silly now, being angry at us for being secretive. After all, you're keeping a pretty big one yourself. How much are you going to pay me to be quiet?"

"I know better than to pay you to keep a secret. Look how secretive Lila's engagement was after Gage let you know," Chris rolled his eyes. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's much more complicated with Bianca than you think."

"I think she's a bitch if that counts for anything," Lucy said. She glanced around their spot in the Underworld. "Do you think we're at the right place?"

As if confirming her uncertainty, Chris was quickly launched from his feet, sent flying backward at surprising speed until he slammed into the rocks behind them. He immediately lost consciousness, flopping to the ground in a motionless heap. "Chris!" Lucy shouted. She wanted nothing more than to tend to her whitelighter but had to dive out of the way as a fireball sped in her direction.

She huffed as she rolled across the dirt, ambling up to her feet with the lightness of a cat. The demon was preparing another fireball but she quickly threw her body at him, using her power of levitation for an extra kick to tackle him to the ground. She punched him in the nose and while he recovered, frantically hefted up a nearby rock, slamming it onto his head with brute force. The demon immediately stopped moving and she gasped for air, slowly climbing off of him.

Her eyes were adjusted to the darkness as she glanced around, shoulders tensed as she crept forward. "Laura! Dad!" she shouted. She looked over her shoulder only to find Chris still unconscious on the floor.

She was completely alone.

The lone Charmed One left to battle. Rustling was heard in the direction the demon had come from and she slowly crept forward. Only Halliwells would follow the noises of sure danger. "Laura!" she tried again.

"We're over here!" a small voice echoed.

Lucy picked up speed in the direction of her father's voice, using it as her only guide in the darkness. Never before had she felt so dependent on herself. Perhaps she wasn't the most powerful but in this case it didn't seem to matter. She'd killed the first demon on her own without any powers. She was more than prepared to do it again. Of course, she didn't have a choice.

As she ran around the next corner where a sputter of orange light glowed, she was quickly met with a stiff arm to the chest. The air immediately knocked out of her lungs as she landed on her back, meeting the brawn of a demon with surprise. As the foe quickly conjured a fireball, Lucy scrambled to recover, whacking the demon in the ankle and throwing him off balance. She climbed up to her feet as he stumbled, only to have seconds to avoid his attack with a high jump of levitation.

Lucy dropped down to her feet once in the clear of any flames and eagerly launched an attack of her own. A quick combination of two hits, one left and one right to the demon's face and side was enough to stun him, and she finished the job with a powerful kick to his groin. He struck back with a jab that caught her abdomen, but Lucy was hardly slowed. She kicked him again, this time sending him back several feet, then secured a harsh punch across his jaw. He grunted in a fall to the floor and though hardly close to being finished off, Lucy sprinted deeper into the cave to find Laura and Coop.

"The keys are on the wall!" Coop shouted at her.

Lucy tripped on her way to grab the ring of keys, fumbling with them outside of the cage. "Hurry up," Laura advised anxiously, eyes on the mouth of the cave. Lucy jammed the key into the lock, struggling to unlatch the metal bars.

"Look out!" Coop yelled. Lucy instantly hit the floor as a fireball bounced off the bars of the cage. She army crawled through the gravel and dirt, rolling out of the way as another fireball missed her by inches. Behind her Coop and Laura battled the lock of the cage from the inside, finally throwing open the door with desperation.

As soon as she was free Laura took aim at the demon, blasting him before he could throw anymore flames at her youngest sister. Lucy gave a sigh in relief as Coop helped her back up to her feet. "You okay Peanut?" he asked her.

"Good," Lucy breathed, still recovering from the recent exertion.

"Did you come here all by yourself?" Laura asked.

"Well, Chris was with me but he was knocked out back there. In fact, we should go get him…"

"Right here," the whitelighter announced uneasily. Chris entered the area with a hand on the rock walls, steadying his dizzy steps. He paused for a moment to gather his balance and gave a hazy smirk. "Did I miss all the fun already?"

"I wouldn't call it fun," Lucy said.

"Did he hit his head?" Laura asked, quickly moving to Chris' side. She examined his eyes for dilation and frowned at her discovery.

"It sure sounds that way," Lucy chuckled. "You would have definitely thought so earlier if you caught him with Wyatt and I…"

"I don't even want to know," Laura rolled her eyes. Coop took his nephew's arm and put it over his neck, helping him to stand more steadily. "Let's get him home before anyone comes back."

* * *

Though the rooftop had been essentially ravaged only an hour before, it failed to ruin the mood it was set to convey. The navy blanket of a sky was speckled with stars and a luminous moon smiled down from above. A chilly wind blew from the bay and Gage removed his jacket, draping it over Lila's shoulders. Together they took a moment, standing on the edge of the roof, staring at the sleepy city. He reached over, taking her hand in his. Lila gave a gentle smile as she met his gaze.

"I think we were interrupted earlier," she chuckled.

"That's all right," Gage smirked. "It gives me a chance to tell you how much I love you twice."

Lila silently reached up, cupping the side of his face with her hand. "You make everything better," she said gently. "I would have considered this night a complete disaster if it weren't for it ending with you at my side."

"Well I hope tonight is just one of many nights to come," Gage said. He squeezed her hand before releasing it. Then with a calming breath he lowered himself to a single knee, pulling the black box from his pocket. Lila's mouth dropped slightly. "I guess I said a lot of what I wanted to earlier, before demons ruined everything. I know a lot of the surprise has been taken out of the entire thing…"

"It doesn't matter," Lila said gently. Her brown eyes were already twinkling with tears as he took her hand into his once more. He looked up at her with genuine tenderness and her heart fluttered in its place.

"I've spent a lot of time thinking and I know it's taken me awhile but I know now that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up to you every morning, I want you to make me crazy every day, and I want to be next to you like this every night. You are everything I've ever wanted – more than I thought I could ever have – and you make me so happy. I want nothing more than to be with you and to attempt to give you all the love and goodness you give me every day I'm with you," Gage told her. A few tears fell from Lila's eyes and Gage swallowed hard to maintain his own composure. He fumbled to open the black box, revealing a shiny ring set with a single diamond. "I love you and I want to be your husband. I want to have a family with you and I want to grow old with you. So, Lila Patience Halliwell, will you marry me?"

Lila managed a nod between tears, choking out a blissful "Yes."

Gage grinned, instantly popping up to his feet and grabbing her into his arms. Their lips promptly collided, wrestling in a happy fit of passion. When they parted Lila wiped her tears while Gage sniffled, taking the ring out of the box. "This belonged to my grandma Helen," he said as he slipped it onto her finger.

"It's beautiful," Lila whimpered. She kissed him once more, finding a place in his arms and wrapping her hands around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

"Failure!" Malum growled. He slammed a fist onto his desk, tossing aside a stack of books bound in tight black and red leather. Garthwar shuddered at his outburst, taking a timid step back. "You had a Charmed One in your grasp and you didn't think to bring her to me?"

"We thought of it, yes," Garthwar stammered. "But we were under orders to…"

"Orders from who? No orders are more important than mine!" Malum shouted.

"Belthazor," he answered. "He demanded that we find the Cupid with the initials CV in their ring…"

"Belthazor," Malum repeated angrily. Aliah who stood near Jack on the other side of the room tried to not react to the name. Malum swiped an athame from his desk and without even looking back over his shoulder, swiftly threw the weapon with fierce accuracy. Its point easily found Garthwar's throat, providing a fountain of blood as he gurgled and groaned on the floor. Malum turned to watch the demon take his last few breaths before shifting his gaze up to his wife. "I see you failed to perform your duty as well…"

"The timing simply wasn't right," Aliah told him confidently.

"I don't believe that for a second," Malum growled. "Timing has never made a difference before…"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Malum but…"

"You lying whore of a woman!"

"Don't talk to my mother like that!" Jack shouted, taking a stand in front of Aliah. Malum's eyes filled with further hatred.

"And what are you going to do Delezar?" he shouted.

"I will kill you," Jack growled.

"You are too much of a coward! Besides, it's not me you should be so angry with," Malum hissed. "It was your bitch of a mother who was supposed to kill your lovely Melinda Halliwell tonight."

Jack's face fell slightly before he turned over his shoulder, eyes wide and heavy on Aliah. "Is this true?" he asked her.

Aliah swallowed hard. "I only want what's best for you."

"Killing her is not what's best for me!" Jack shouted.

"You're fooling yourself if you think it will end in anything other than misery!" she yelled at him. "I don't know how you could be so blind! You are just like your father!"

"I have no father," Jack spat. "Don't blame this on him. This was all you."

"Your father was the reason I couldn't kill her tonight," Aliah glared. Malum's face fell and she tilted her head at her husband. "That's right Malum; Belthazor prevented me from completing my task as well. It seems there's someone out there prepared to challenge your power!"

Jack was too busy shaking his head in outrage. "I have no father. Belthazor is not my father," he insisted. His face was red with fury, his jaw clenched in rage. "And I don't have a mother either. You're both dead to me."

"Delezar…"

"I don't want to see either of you," Jack warned. "And you can consider my participation in the assignment terminated."

* * *

The Halliwell manor on Prescott Street was alive and loud despite the late hour. After the return of Laura, Lucy, and Coop the family could breathe easy and retired to the manor as seemed to be the usual meeting place. Wyatt helped uncork a few bottles of champagne and in an instant they were crammed into the dining room and living room, loud in their conversations and jokes and laughter.

"This is going to be slightly embarrassing if he hasn't proposed," Lucy said.

"Trust me, it was happening," Wyatt smiled as he filled her glass.

"I swear I'm going to start crying," Phoebe sniffled. She sat on the couch, Coop's arm around her shoulder.

"Don't start, mom," Laura groaned.

"Just think of all the wedding planning we get to do," Sam grinned.

"Think of the bachelor party," Joey winked, high fiving both Carson and Chris.

"Pigs," Melinda rolled her eyes. Joey good naturedly grabbed her into a head lock, messing up her hair, causing her to squeal.

"Hopefully the wedding will go more smoothly than the proposal," Chris chuckled. He held an icepack to the lump on his head, slowly recovering from his fall in the Underworld. Piper sat next to him to insure he followed the doctor's orders.

"I wonder what's taking them so long," Leo sighed.

"Oh, I could think of a few things," Joey smiled deviously.

"Don't be gross!" Piper shouted, throwing a pillow at her nephew.

"While we wait, I could tell you the story of the Valentine family of Cupids. It started with St. Valentine of Rome…."

"No!" the entire family booed and shouted at Coop who grinned at their protest.

"Does someone have a camera? I'm going to want pictures," Phoebe realized.

"I got it," Sam announced, desperate for a chance to leave the room. Her eyes set on Chris with seriousness. "Chris can you help me in the kitchen?"

"Of course," he replied, quickly bouncing up from his seat to follow her.

"Chris! You're not supposed to be up…"

"I'm fine, mom," he rolled his eyes, following Sam out of the room.

In the meantime Lucy happily found the side of her oldest sister. "Hey, I never thanked you for saving dad and I," Laura told her.

"Don't thank me, all part of the job," Lucy replied. She produced a red envelope from her jacket pocket. "It's a little wrinkled but this was left for you."

Laura took the envelope in confusion. "For me? From who?"

"Who do you think?" Lucy chuckled. "Happy Valentine's Day. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Wy for a refill."

Laura slowly peeled open the letter, smiling at the simple card slipped inside. The handwriting was unmistakable and her heart felt light as she read the neat black print:

_I miss you too. Happy Valentine's Day._

_I love you._

_Yours Always,_

_James_

"You're sure?" Chris asked uneasily. His emerald eyes had darkened at Sam's news and he gripped a chair in the kitchen just to keep his tension in check.

"I'm sure," Sam nodded. "It explains everything. Why he would get Kate and I confused in the Underworld. And he was so eager to start dating Melinda. He's been the one on the inside the entire time."

"I'll kill him," Chris growled.

"We can't move too soon…"

"I'm not going to wait for the moment when he finally hurts my sister."

"He hasn't done anything yet."

"That we know of."

Sam sighed. "Chris I'm telling you this because I think you should know. Don't make me regret it. We can't be brash or irresponsible."

Chris shook his head. "I just knew something like this would happen," he muttered. "Do you think I should talk to her?"

"Not tonight. I think she already suspects him anyway," Sam frowned. "I just hate to see her get her heart broken."

"I hate to see her get caught in the line of fire."

The living room continued to bustle with conversation and as more alcohol was poured, it seemed the laughs were louder and the secrets more wild.

"You won't believe who I caught Chris with tonight," Wyatt told his sister.

Melinda's eyes widened at the hint of scandal. "Who?" she asked.

"Detective Bianca Lawrence," he answered.

Melinda nearly spit the champagne from her mouth. "No!" she exclaimed.

"Careful there. Mom will kill me if I get you sloshed again," Wyatt chuckled.

"I'm not drunk," Melinda insisted, slapping his arm. "How long do you think they've been together?"

"I don't know but it would explain his bad mood lately. He's so busy keeping her a secret he can barely function."

"Do you think he's just sleeping with her so she stops investigating us?"

"We'll find out soon enough," Wyatt smirked. He held his glass to hers. "Cheers."

"Cheers."

"It sounds like you did some impressive ass kicking tonight," Carson said as he took a stand near Lucy's side. "So much for being the least powerful and least important Charmed One."

"Hey, I never said anything about not being important," Lucy smirked. "But I will admit I even surprised myself."

"Not me," Carson replied.

"Of course not, you're far too sure of yourself," she replied. "I'm sorry our date was ruined."

"That's all right," he said. "I'm sure we'll have another chance."

"Well, with Lila and Gage getting married and all, I'm pretty sure that must be some sort of weird form of incest…"

"Nah, I don't think so," Carson replied with a smirk. He raised his glass. "But we'll figure that out later. Happy Valentine's Day, Halliwell."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Jenkins," she smiled, clinking his glass to hers.

Finally landing in the loud enthusiasm and madness, was a well-anticipated pink flash. Already beaming with bliss were Lila and Gage, whose eyes widened at the crowded living room. "Is this all for us?" Lila chuckled.

"I don't know. Depends on how your evening went," Chris chuckled.

"Yeah, with all this champagne we're just looking for a good reason to toast," Wyatt teased.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you but it was just a typical, boring evening. I mean, aside from everything being ruined by demons but that's nothing new," Lila joked.

"Oh and we got engaged," Gage added, causing an uproar of enthusiasm. In an instant the two were bombarded by Halliwells, grabbing them into embraces of congratulations. Phoebe cried as she warned and the girls squealed as Lila showed them her ring, forcing Joey to cover his ears.

"Welcome to the family," Leo chuckled, shaking Gage's hand.

"It's even crazier than it looks," Coop winked.

"So I know this is a little sudden, but I just want to insure that I'm your maid of honor," Lucy told Lila.

"Stop it," Lila shook her head, wrapping her sisters in a hug. "You're both my maid of honor!"

Phoebe dabbed at her eyes, retiring to a spot on the couch next to Piper. For a moment the two sisters watched. The boys continued to surround Gage, rough housing and teasing him with all the welcome suited for a new brother. The girls were already deep in conversation about planning for a wedding from dresses to colors to cake. And for a moment, it was all normal and simple.

"Congratulations, Pheebs," Piper smiled at her sister.

"Thanks," Phoebe sniffled with a grin. She rested her head on Piper's shoulder. "We're going to be okay, aren't we?"

"Yeah," Piper said, patting Phoebe's head. Her tired, sunken brown eyes conveyed a different sentiment as she stared off. Chris caught her gaze with concern of his own and she offered him a forced smile, nodding with reassurance. He went back to celebrating and she squeezed her eyes shut, giving an uneasy sigh. "We're going to be fine."

* * *

_Hey! I can't remember the last time I updated this fast but I was really inspired to close this one up. I've been a little disappointed with the amount of reviews though! It really is the only sign of encouragement I get from readers so I hope I can see a few more than usual. I'll try to get started on a new episode soon - I definitely have some things in mind - but until then I appreciate your patience and support. As always thanks for reading and I hope to see some reviews! ~ Sammy_


	31. Episode Seven : Good Times Gonna Come

Episode 7: Good Times Gonna Come

Thursday breakfast was surprisingly quiet.

Chris remained hunched over his cup of coffee, staring into the straight black brew as it steamed and simmered. Melinda dragged the fork across her plate, pushing around eggs in an unproductive swirl. Wyatt anxiously continued stuffing his mouth, desperate to inhale pancakes if just to keep him from having to prompt conversation. Leo and Piper exchanged looks of confusion.

"You're all quiet," Piper observed. Her brown eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Too quiet."

"Is everything all right?" Leo asked them.

"Fine," Melinda stammered unsteadily. Chris and Wyatt both glanced up to see her cheeks turn pink.

It'd been over a week since Valentine's Day and though a fair share of secrets and rumors had circulated amongst the family, confronting each other was a process no one felt like participating in. For starters the siblings weren't quiet on speaking terms once word of Chris' relationship with Bianca Lawrence became common knowledge. Chris in the meantime kept finding reasons to put off telling Melinda about Jack and Wyatt desperately avoided his own secret. As for Piper and Leo they'd decided Thursday breakfast was the perfect opportunity to break news of their own.

"I don't think you've been this quiet since you crashed my Jeep," Piper said. "Someone want to tell me what's going on?"

"I'll say it since no one else will," Wyatt groaned, swallowing a mouthful of pancakes. "Chris is sleeping with Detective Lawrence."

"Real mature, Wyatt, you're going to tell on me like we're in high school?" he snapped.

"This is the same detective investigating Paige's case?" Leo asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Chris growled. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"The big deal is that you're keeping her too close Chris. Until this blows over, she's not someone you want snooping around," Piper told her youngest son. She was baffled by Chris' rather reckless choice. He was always the most cautious and rational of her children. To be taking up a relationship with the detective meant one of two things; he was acting out or he was completely love struck. Both prospects didn't settle well with Piper. "And Chris, honey, I hate to offend you but she could very well be using you to find out more about the family."

"Thank you mom, for that" he rolled his eyes. "I think I can handle this. I'm a grown man, I can be with whoever I like…"

"It's irresponsible Chris," Melinda put in.

Her brother's gaze grew dark and foreboding. "Oh you want to talk about irresponsible, Mel? How about we talk about Jack," he snapped.

"Chris, no…"

"He's a demon," Chris nearly shouted. "There! I said it. And Jack isn't just any demon; he's head of the Brotherhood."

"You're sure?" Wyatt asked. He'd suspected something was off about his sister's boyfriend to begin with and the news only confirmed his suspicion.

"Yes."

"No! You have no evidence," Melinda growled.

"Melinda if there is any doubt about Jack then…"

"There's not dad. He's a nice guy and he cares about me. He's failed to do any damage so far," she argued.

"It's just a matter of time and I'm not going to stand by until he hurts you or anyone else!" Chris shouted.

"I'm with Chris," Wyatt nodded.

"You two always team up against me!" Melinda yelled. "You have always had it out for my boyfriends and you're just focusing your paranoia on Jack."

"This isn't like before! This is serious Mel. For all you know he is the one who killed aunt Paige!" Chris growled. "You need to break up with him!"

"I love him!"

"Oh god, no you don't. He's made you too blind to see who he really is!" Chris yelled.

"You don't even know him! You're just assuming all these things that you have no proof of!" she argued, face red with anger. "If you want to make me break up with Jack than you are just as obligated to end things with Bianca!"

"Bianca is not a demon!"

"And neither is Jack. For the record she poses as much a threat as he does!"

"Okay everyone needs to calm down and take a breath," Leo attempted to break in. The amount of information was rather overwhelming and emotions were running high. Melinda and Chris both caught their breaths, still clearly enraged as Leo cleared his throat. "We can talk this out without getting angry."

"I wouldn't be so angry if Chris wasn't being hypocritical," Melinda murmured, arms folded across her chest.

"Melinda, how long have you been with Jack?" Piper asked her youngest. She was completely serious and it quickly made everyone at the table become more somber.

"Almost two months."

"And do you know where he's from? What about his parents?"

"He was born in Texas…"

"Down South, that's surprising," Chris quipped quietly.

Melinda glared before continuing. "He went to school in Chicago and worked in Seattle before coming here…"

"An easy cover story," he rolled his eyes.

"Chris, let your sister talk," Piper told him. Though they were pushing thirty years old, it was as though her children had reverted back to teenagers in their angst. Talking them through the tension as they sat at the breakfast table brought back a series of memories.

"I don't know much about his family. He doesn't know his father and he was raised by his mother. He has no siblings…"

"His mother's name wouldn't be Aliah by chance, would it?" Wyatt asked coldly.

"Her name is Allison," Melinda glared. "Allison Mason."

"Has he acted suspicious before?" Piper asked. Melinda was quick to argue but before she could make a sound, her mother's countenance went deathly serious. "Be honest, Melinda. This is important…"

"There have been a few times," she confessed gently in defeat.

"This isn't the time to live in denial Mel," Chris said.

"The same goes for you, Chris," Melinda barked. "I'm so sick of you riding your high horse. Bianca is just as much trouble if not more! At least Jack hasn't done anything to directly put our family at risk!"

"I'm doing this because I care about you! You're my sister!"

"And I finally found someone who treats me right and I care about and love and you're trying to frame him as a villain!"

"Mel don't be so emotional about this," Wyatt sighed.

"Screw you Wy," Melinda snapped. Her oldest brother was usually the more sympathetic to her plights. To have him turn on her was the last straw.

"You had to have some reservations about Jack if you've kept him from us for so long," Wyatt told her.

"Oh you're offended I kept him a secret? What about your secret Wyatt?"

Wyatt's face instantly dropped as Chris, Piper, and Leo faltered with confusion. "What secret?" Leo asked.

"It's nothing," Wyatt replied through gritted teeth. He glared at Melinda. "How the hell do you know?"

"Sam can't lie to save her life," Melinda said. "Besides, I'm your sister and I'm not an idiot."

"What are you guys talking about?" Chris asked.

"Nothing."

"No, not nothing, Wyatt. We're done keeping secrets, this is getting out of hand," Piper groaned.

"I'm gay!" Wyatt shouted. The sunroom was quiet and Melinda lowered her head, feeling rather ashamed for forcing the confession on her brother.

Chris' face dropped in shock. "You're what?"

"I'm gay," he said. "I have been for some time now."

"I had no idea, Wyatt," Leo murmured gently. He seemed at a loss for words, unable to pinpoint the correct response. There was nothing his children could do to disappoint him or lose his support but his oldest son's revelation had certainly caught him off guard.

"This is unbelievable," Chris nearly shouted. He viciously shook his head. "You're not gay."

"I am, Chris. This isn't easy for me to come out like this either," Wyatt told him. "What's your problem?"

"My problem is that I-I-I can't believe this," Chris stammered. He looked around to his parents and sister. "Am I the only one?"

"Wyatt, you know we love you the same and we will always accept you," Leo told him.

"Thank you," Wyatt nodded. "I'm glad to have the support of someone…"

"When did this happen? How did it happen? And why?" Chris asked in confused ramble.

"It's not some choice I just woke up and made one morning, Chris! This is who I am and I thought of all people you would understand," Wyatt shouted. It wasn't often that he lost his temper and to see him so enraged stirred fear in the rest of the family.

"I've been your brother for twenty-eight years and you couldn't tell me?" he yelled back.

"You don't think I wanted to? You don't think it killed me inside to keep this secret from all of you? I didn't because I was afraid of how you would react!" Wyatt told him. "Clearly my fears weren't misplaced!"

"Well maybe I just need a minute to process this!" Chris growled. He stood up from the table, trying to keep a handle on his emotions. "I have a sister dating a demon and a brother who decides now is the ideal time to come out of the closet! Seriously?"

"Don't be so dramatic," Melinda glared. "You're not exactly looking very innocent yourself!"

"I'm leaving! Have fun with your messed up love lives!" Chris shouted.

Wyatt angrily chucked his fork and threw his napkin to the table as Chris disappeared in orbs. He glared at his younger sister, "Thanks for that Melinda," he barked.

"And thank you for the back-up! I really appreciate being teamed up on," she growled.

"You guys, please," Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair, trying to remain calm in the near disaster.

"I'm leaving. Anyone else have anything to say to me before I go?" Wyatt asked. He glared at Piper. "Mom you've been unusually quiet. Have I upset you as well?"

"I'm just trying to get a handle on this, Wy," she said gently, unwilling to put up any sort of fight. It wasn't often that she simply sat back in the midst of such heated confrontation and scandal with her children but she couldn't build any sort of strength to lead them. She only sat at her chair, dark eyes void of any emotion, helpless to the chaos.

Wyatt shook his head one last time before orbing out in anger, leaving only Melinda, Leo, and Piper behind. The youngest daughter hastily bolted up from the table, trying to withhold the tears that fought to warm her eyes as she gathered her things.

"Melinda, honey, wait…"

"I don't want to talk, dad," she sniffled before storming out in a hurry. As the front door slammed Leo dropped his head to the table.

"Did you see any of that coming?" he asked his wife.

"No," Piper managed. She shook her head, staring at the table of dishes and untouched breakfast. "I don't know where to start."

"Me neither," Leo sighed, slowly sitting up. His green eyes saddened as he grabbed his wife's hand into his own. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. Just a little shocked," she told him with a frown. "I guess being parents doesn't get any easier, does it?"

"Apparently not," he replied gently. "So much for telling them your news…"

"I don't think they're ready."

"You'll have to tell them eventually."

"Not now, Leo. Too much is already wrong. The last thing they need is this too," Piper said. Leo wanted to protest but her pleading brown eyes held too much power over him. He traced a finger down her gaunt face. "We'll take care of the kids first, okay?"

"Okay," he nodded. He kissed her hand. "Okay…"

* * *

"You punch like a girl."

"I am a girl," Laura replied with a grunt as she smashed a gloved fist into the red leather again. A few loose pieces of chocolate fell into her eyes and her cheeks were flushed and red as she puffed in air. Sweat beaded her forehead as she continued to hit the punching bag, held in place by Lucy who seemed to do as much taunting as coaching.

"You have to pivot with your back foot," Lucy instructed. She appeared just as tired after a workout of her own, drenched in sweat while she stood behind the bag. The three sisters had been in the garage for nearly an hour, fitting in necessary combat practice amidst a hectic Charmed schedule.

"I'm trying," Laura sighed, jabbing twice with her left hand and then striking a full blow with her right. "You know, this is why I have an active power. I don't have to know how to beat the crap out of someone."

"You never know when you'll need it," Lucy replied. "Now how many times do I have to tell you to move your feet?"

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"You bet your ass Rocky," she answered. Laura continued alternating jabs at the bag while Lucy glanced over her shoulder. Lila was seated on the wooden steps leading down to the garage, the Book of Shadows open on her lap. "How's the research coming Ly?"

Lila was silent as she remained engaged in her reading, hardly noticing her name being called. "Lila?" Lucy tried again. This time Laura stopped as well. "Lila!"

"What!" Lila asked in confusion.

"Last time I checked the Book of Shadows was not that interesting," Laura chuckled.

"You found anything on the Stones?" Lucy asked.

"Uh, you know not much…" Lila's voice trailed off as Lucy hovered over her. In an instant her younger sister swiped the magazine hidden inside of the Book.

"A wedding catalogue? Really?" Lucy asked.

"Hey! I'm sorry but I have a wedding to plan," Lila huffed as Lucy tossed the magazine aside.

"How about you hit the bag and I'll manage the Book," Laura offered as she took a drink and caught her breath. She nudged Lila out of her seat and took the hefty Book of Shadows into her lap. She rolled her eyes at her sister. "You weren't even on the right page…"

"Have you two set a date?" Lucy asked as she took her spot back behind the back. Lila slowly pulled on her gloves.

"Well, no, but we're thinking June 7th," she answered.

"That's Joey and aunt Piper's birthday, genius," Laura spoke up.

"Seriously?" Lila sighed.

"Yeah, it's the same day every year. That's how birthdays work," Lucy replied.

"Shut up," Lila quipped, aggressively punching the bag. It rocked Lucy back a few feet and she glared. "We'll just find a different, better date."

"Gemini Potestas Stones…" Laura read aloud. The ripped page had been returned to the Book but not until now had the sisters had any time to attend to it. The last week had consisted of a pack of darklighters, two warlocks, and a pesky gargoyle preventing them from moving forward on the mystery surrounding Paige. "First discovered in the 15th century by the Avatars. These stones stayed in their possession before being stolen by the Triad. After their fall from power in the 17th century a group of whitelighters returned them to the Elders…they were lost nearly a century later. It seems as though they've changed hands a number of times."

"What's so special about them?" Lila asked between punches.

"Well for starters they don't seem to be sensitive to good or evil," Laura said. She scanned the page curiously. "But from what I can tell the stones aren't easily kept or possessed. Supposedly there is a cave made of the rock, which is where the Stones came from. People have searched for it for years…"

"Like a fountain of youth," Lucy said.

"I suppose," Laura nodded. She furrowed her brow and shook her head. "We all know that Gemini means twins. And I'm not entirely brushed up on my Latin but Potestas means power…"

"Maybe the Stones come in twos?" Lucy suggested.

"Well the most interesting part is their relation to the Hallow. It seems that the box the Hallow is contained in is made of the Stone," Laura read. "And that the Hallow itself is just fragments of the Stones…"

"Are you saying the Stones are more powerful than the Hallow?" Lila asked, pausing her punches.

"It sounds that way," Laura murmured looking up from the Book. "That's kind of scary if you think about it…"

"Why would aunt Paige be looking for them then? And why wouldn't she tell anyone else she was?" Lucy asked.

"Just one of the many questions we have to find an answer to," Laura sighed, closing the Book. She slowly stood from her seat, running a hand through her drenched hair. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go get ready for work…"

"Work? You're not going to Kate's family day?" Lila asked. She kicked the punching bag with a high right foot, nearly knocking Lucy over.

"No and I already told her I'm sorry. I have a twelve hour shift and with as much time as I've managed to get off lately, it's a wonder I haven't been fired," Laura replied. "It's going to be ten hour night shifts from here on out if I'm ever going to get an attending position."

"Well, I'm sure the whole thing will be a circus anyway. We all have to talk about our feelings and Kate has to make amends with us," Lucy said.

"That's a recipe for disaster," Laura chuckled. "Hey did you hear back on that internship?"

"I start working at Harvey & Roark Architects next week," Lucy announced proudly.

"You mean Dean Harvey? He erected the Copper Tower last month and two hotels on the Bay last year," Lila announced in surprise.

Both Lucy and Laura exchanged wide eyed looks. "Who are you and what have you done with our sister?" Lucy asked.

"Hey, I'm entitled to know a thing or two about…things," Lila managed. The middle of the three sisters was known as an airhead compared to her doctor older sister and near genius of a younger sister. The title didn't bother her, though it did become tiresome to prove her intelligence. "Gage had an issue of Architect's Monthly and I got bored one afternoon…"

"You continue to surprise me, Ly," Laura smirked.

"Girls! Girls you home?"

The three sisters shuddered as they exchanged looks and groans. "It's mom," Lila sighed. She slammed a few punches into the bag to release her frustrations.

"In the garage!" Laura shouted to Phoebe.

Entering with a smile, adjusting the large purse on her shoulder and nearly stumbling down the stairs to the garage in heels was Phoebe. The mother of the Charmed Ones had been making appearances rather frequently, involving herself in the lives of her daughters with enthusiasm. It was becoming usual for her to drop by unexpectedly, always wanting to mix in with the new Charmed Ones, often invading on the space of her daughters. "What are you guys doing down here?" Phoebe asked.

"Could ask you the same thing," Lucy said.

"Are you brushing up on some combat? You know if you want any pointers, I was rather effective in my younger years and I have training in…"

"That's okay, mom, we were just finishing up," Lila said, sparing them from a Phoebe tutorial.

"Oh, okay then," Phoebe smiled clueless.

"Not that we don't love your visits mom," Lucy cleared her throat. "But what are you doing here?"

"Well, I was just excited because today is the big day after all," Phoebe grinned eagerly.

"Oh yeah, Kate's family day, mom I'm sorry but I won't be able to make it. I have a shift at the hospital," Laura sighed. "I've already told her and I send my best…"

"No not that," Phoebe cut her off. She looked around to her daughters whose faces remained blank. "Are you serious? You don't remember?"

"Depends…what are we supposed to be remembering?" Lucy asked.

"My book! It comes out today," Phoebe answered. The girls all sighed in realization and she shook her head. "I scheduled the book signing after Kate's family day just so everyone could come. I told you about it weeks ago…"

"Shit. I'm sorry mom," Laura sighed. "I'm on all night."

"And Gage and I were going to try to set a date, since apparently everyone in the family was born on June 7th," Lila said.

Phoebe's mouth dropped in outrage. "I can't believe this. Did any of you even read the book?" she asked. "I gave you the first copies last week…"

"I did," Laura spoke up while Lila and Lucy glared. "Lila you had time to read Architect's Monthly but you didn't read mom's book?"

"Shut up!" Lila hissed.

"Kiss ass," Lucy said.

"Mom we're sorry," Lila sighed.

"It's fine," Phoebe clipped bitterly. "Lucy, will you at least be there?"

"Believe it or not your first book didn't make my childhood a picnic, I'm not about to leap for joy over it's sequel…"

"Lou…" Laura growled in surprise.

"Besides, I have to get ready for my job next week. In case you forgot, I'm starting at Harvey & Roark…"

"Fine," Phoebe said. The disappointment was stagnant on her face. "I will see you this afternoon."

"Mom…" Lila's voice cut off. She sighed. "I feel like a jerk."

"I don't," Lucy replied.

"What the hell was all that about?" Laura asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Lucy replied nonchalantly. She swiped up her towel and bottle of water. Laura and Lila watched as their younger sister disappeared in confusion.

"You think she's okay?" Lila asked.

"I don't know, but that's certainly not the Louie I'm used to," Laura answered. She patted Lila on the shoulder. "I have to get ready for work. Let me know how it goes today."

* * *

Joey had been muttering to himself for most of the morning. As he bounded up the stairs to Sam and Kate's apartment, a file of papers under his arm, the nervous ramble continued. "I'm a grown man and I'm going to be graduating and I've decided that I want to do something for the greater good. I'm signing up for the police academy. I signed up for the police academy," he continued to no one but his own shadow. He shook his head and repeated it. "I signed up for the police academy. I'm going to be a police officer. Like dad…"

He paused outside the apartment door and sighed. He stared down at the application in his hand. It was halfway completed and still he couldn't bring himself to turn it in without consulting his sisters. And deep down he already knew their responses. Though he was a grown man they had a habit of treating him like a small boy. The idea of him in harm's way was one they would never willingly accept.

It didn't help that their father was killed in the line of duty either.

Joey groaned as he jiggled the handle and knocked on the door. It seemed Sam was either late or never home. He pulled out his key to the apartment, shifting the papers under his arm. The least he could do was help himself to his sister's refrigerator while he waited for her.

It didn't take him much time to stumble inside, leaving little warning to muffle the noises and flailing of arms and legs on the couch. "Joey!" Sam screamed instantly.

Her younger brother seemed to be groaning out a yell of his own as he rushed to cover his eyes. Nick scrambled to pick up a blanket from the floor while the screeching continued. "I'm sorry!"

"What are you doing!" Sam shouted, her rough voice ringing loudly as Joey attempted to blindly find the exit. He knocked over the nearby lamp and bumped against the wall as he desperately moved for the door.

"I didn't know! I didn't think you were home!" he stammered.

"Have you heard of knocking?"

"I'm sorry!"

"Go!"

"I'm going!"

The door slammed behind Joey as he caught his breath, uncovering his eyes in horror. The images of his sister and who he presumed to be Nick assaulted his brain and he uneasily cringed in discomfort. He gathered his composure, willing himself to forget as he bolted for the stairs, pausing only momentarily when he realized the vacancy in his hands. "Shit!" he cursed loudly.

His application to the police academy had been apparently dropped and left behind in the chaos. Joey started up the stairs and stopped. He couldn't bear to face Sam again. He quickly began back down the steps, only to dispute himself with another realization. She couldn't discover his intentions before he informed her himself. He pivoted to ascend a few steps, only to freeze in the position, staring back and forth between down and up. "Damn it!" his voice echoed off the walls before he descended to the building's exit, more desperate to erase the images than erase the application from his sister's floor.

* * *

He glared at his reflection as he buttoned his shirt. The last week had been one of self-directed rage following his hasty outburst against none other than the leaders of the Underworld. Even in complete solitude he frequently stole glances over his shoulders, always tense, always alert. It wasn't just his mother or his companions from the Brotherhood showing up unexpectedly to convince him to return, but the thought of an attack from Malum's muscle haunted him constantly. He knew he was now on his step-father's radar. He'd refused to complete his mission and now there would certainly be consequences to pay. In fact, such tense anticipation of Malum's revenge drove him to fear his own shadow.

The charcoal shade of his collared shirt seemed to darken the tired bags under his eyes that gazed at him in a steely cerulean hue. A shadow of stubble marked his firm jawline and his black hair was an unkempt carpet with loose strands poking out. He'd been able to drag himself through the work week but was forced to keep himself distant from Melinda. She was bound to become suspicious soon but no more skeptical than if she'd seen his tired and panicked demeanor in the last seven days.

Jack halfheartedly found a tie from his closet, lamely adjusting the satin around his neck. He had yet to settle on a remedy to his problem, but he was beginning to realize he couldn't hide out much longer. Not from Melinda. Not from his mother. Not from Malum or the Brotherhood. Not from himself. Time was running out.

"Who taught you how to dress?"

He instantly spun on a heel with his fists clenched and a glare set on the intruder. "What the hell do you want? Did Aliah send you? Malum?" he grunted.

"Neither, though your mother did ask me to. I'm not here on her behalf however," the man answered. He was of a similar build to Jack with a tall frame and broad shoulders. Their hair was an identical shade of raven, though the elder man's was combed and neatly parted. His eyes were of a jade green, glaring out beneath an amused brow. "The gray makes you look ashen. Try adding some color, Jack."

"Who are you?" he asked. He wasn't quite convinced the man didn't pose a threat.

"Cole Turner," he replied, pacing slowly across the bedroom. He smiled at his son. "You recognize me?"

"I don't know anyone of that name…"

"I think you do," Cole said.

"The Cole Turner I know is dead…"

"I also have been known as Belthazor – it's the name your mother preferred…"

"I don't know you!"

"I'm your father!" Cole shouted over him.

In an instant Jack's hard, balled up fist smashed across Cole's jaw, forcing his neck back at the stiff collision. Jack swallowed hard and panted heavily, his eyes wide with shock and his hand still clenched for another punch. Cole smirked at he recovered, hardly bothered by being hit. "You're not my father," Jack said.

"Hate to break it to you but you are mine," Cole sighed, giving his near spitting image a cocky glare. "Trust me, I'm just as disappointed."

Jack angrily threw his tie down. "Well, do me a favor and continue your absence from my life. I've survived peacefully without you."

"It certainly doesn't seem that way," he replied. Cole slowly pulled open one of Jack's drawers, skimming through his collection of ties. Jack eyed him with a clenched jaw, struggling to decide whether to strike Cole down or simply tolerate him. It'd been twenty years since he'd last seen his father and he long ago developed a deep resentment for the man. Cole plucked out a red tie. "This one looks right…"

Losing his patience, Jack yanked the tie from Cole's grasp. "Leave!"

"I wouldn't be so eager to rid yourself of me, Jack. After all, who else do you have on your side? You can't trust anyone now, can you?" Cole said. He cautiously watched his son's muscles tense, prepared to avoid any secondary punches. "I've been where you are son."

"Don't call me that."

"I fell in love with a Halliwell too…"

"And you're here to give me some sort of advice? Because from what I can see that didn't turn out too well for you," Jack growled.

"You're in love with Melinda," Cole said.

"Don't talk about her…" he warned.

"You're going to lose her," Cole continued. "You have to come clean with her if you want any chance at making it work…"

"I'm not going to talk about this with you!" Jack yelled. "You think you can just show up in my life like this and expect me to trust you? You are nothing more than a stranger and it's far too late to convince me you care!"

"I'm certainly not here to convince you of that! I'm only trying to spare you from living the next two centuries of your life in misery!" Cole growled. "I don't care if you like me or not, but I will not stand by and let you ruin everything! You're of my blood for God's sake, you're not going to be an idiot!"

"I am nothing like you!" Jack spat. He glared at Cole, an older version of himself. "I spent my childhood trying to live up to your legend! Only to realize you abandoned me and my mother and now I despise you!"

"What did you expect? That we would live like some happy family? We're demons!"

"And we're still human! You could've tried," Jack shook his head. "I don't want to see you again."

Cole swallowed hard. "I'm not giving up. If Melinda is the woman you love than it's worth taking a risk…"

Jack produced a glimmering cobalt energy ball, winding it up with anger and quickly chucking it toward his father. Cole shimmered out, leaving the room silent and Jack huffing for air. He ran a hand through his locks and leaned against the wall. With an angry grunt he slammed his fist through his wall, putting a deep hole in the plaster.

Before he could collect himself his phone buzzed with a call. Jack hastily pulled it out of his pocket, sinking at Melinda's name on the screen.

Time was officially out.

* * *

_There's the start of episode 7. I can't tell you how happy I was with the amount of reviews I recieved last chapter! It really makes a huge difference. I hope to keep hearing what you like and don't like. I can't believe I've made it through six episodes but it's so much fun to develop these characters. As always, thanks for reading and please keep the feedback coming! ~ Sammy _


	32. Good Times Gonna Come : Segment 2

A tight pit sank into Gage Jenkins' stomach as he glared down at the papers below him. He frowned as he scanned the numbers, tapped on a calculator, and contemplated his check book. The small table crammed into his tight kitchen quarters was a mess with financial records, all declaring a difficult truth; he was buried in debt.

"I'm fucked," he groaned, tossing his pencil to the table.

Carson glanced up from the thick text book in his hand, reading glasses on the bridge of his nose. "That bad?"

"I'm behind on rent, on my car payment, and the five thousand I put down on starting the garage with the boys isn't going to pay itself off anytime soon," Gage answered, raking a hand through his dirty gold hair. "What the hell am I going to do?"

"Calm down for one," Carson said. "I'm up to my waist paying off student loans but I can take care of rent this month. Have you considered a loan?"

"The bank isn't going to give me any more money. Not with my credit and the borrowing I already had to do to get the shop going," Gage replied.

Carson could sense his brother's distress and slowly put his book aside and slid the glasses from his face. "Have you talked to mom and dad?"

"Carson…"

"They'll help you out…"

"They can hardly keep their house on dad's retirement," Gage said.

"You're too proud! You can ask for help," Carson replied.

"No!" he argued. Gage sighed, burying his head into his hands. "I'm getting married, Carson. I'm going to have a wife to support and if all goes as planned kids someday as well. I want to give Lila her dream wedding and I can't even scrap together enough money for a car payment. Maybe I was too rash when I proposed…"

"Gage, stop," Carson sighed. "I know you're worried but you and Lila love each other. The money will eventually work itself out. There's a reason they say for rich or for poor…"

"Well, I hate to think it's for poor. I want to give her the best of everything," he said. "I feel like I'm already failing her as a spouse and we haven't even made it down the aisle."

Leaning against the wall in the hallway, a helpless frown pulling at her face was Lila. She knew better than to teleport into the boys' apartment unannounced and her eavesdropping was only confirmation of why such a boundary was set. Guilt and sadness built up in her chest as she chewed on her lower lip.

In all her excitement for her engagement and the wedding that was to follow she failed to take into consideration her fiancée's part. She knew Gage was struggling financially and choosing wedding cakes and locations and caterers and dresses were not exactly the things permitted in his budget.

Lila was no help in the money department. Her last job had been as a waitress at the Triquetra but after becoming a full time cupid and witch, she stopped taking shifts at the restaurant. Now as financial pressure was surfacing she regretted ever getting out of the work force. She wasn't worried about Gage being an adequate provider – money certainly wasn't why she was marrying him – but she'd be damned if he intended on facing the burden alone. Pursing her lips and gathering a new sense of determination she flashed out in a pink swirl before the Jenkins brothers even realized she'd intruded.

* * *

Laura quickly peeled off a pair of latex gloves, throwing them into a toxin bin before maneuvering around a few nurses and washing her hands. The hospital was rather slow aside from the influx of flu patients. Of course, perhaps it wasn't a lack of patients or a quiet day at the hospital but in fact that Laura was finally becoming accustomed to the unpredictable schedule of being an ER physician and a Charmed One. A month and a half ago she didn't think it possible to withstand and function under such pressure but even now she surprised herself. She had a handle on her powers, her relationship with her family was mending, and she was well on her way to securing a permanent attending job at the hospital if her residence continued at its brisk pace. The only aspect of her life still suffering setbacks was her relationship with James.

Despite his heartfelt Valentine's card the two had only spoken in passing. Perhaps Laura had been turned too optimistic by the fact that he still loved her. Yes, the feelings were rampant and lingering for both of them, but it didn't settle the entire reason for their separation. Laura remained trapped behind her secret. It wouldn't be in her worst interest to tell him – after all, if he was truly the man she was going to marry, she'd have to come clean eventually. And still the prospect haunted her. It wasn't just his reaction that made her hesitant but the obligation that came with telling him. In some ways his acceptance of her identity committed them to each other always. And their failure to come to an understanding and reunite meant the eternal fear that he would someday share the secret.

"Halliwell, that patient you sent to oncology is out if you want to do a follow up," a nurse at the center nursing station.

"How busy is triage?" Laura asked, glancing at toward the waiting room. She stored the clipboard she'd finished using and grabbed out a few files from a wire basket.

"Tame but we have a GSW coming in. Dr. Harris said he'll take it," the nurse replied. "I'd go now. Dr. Lockhart wanted you for consult."

"Of course Ryan did," Laura rolled her eyes with a laugh. She swiped up her charts and sauntered to the elevator. Ryan Lockhart was an oncologist and one of the first doctors she'd made friends with once transferring from John Hopkins. In fact, it was Ryan who introduced her to James in the first place. He wasn't just one of the few people she was able to see outside of family but of an even rarer group she considered friends.

Laura sighed as she reached the elevator. It was three floors up to make it to the gynecology and oncology wards, but the small space was packed full of other doctors and patients. Though her muscles and legs were tired from the frequent demon battles and the morning's work out she shuffled to the stairs. As she huffed up each step she quietly thought of stopping a floor early if just to bump into James. At least then they'd be forced to speak.

Thinking better of her plot to see James, she pushed open the door to the fourth floor, reveling in a moment at what was a rather peaceful setting. The emergency room was almost always in blatant chaos. The other floors were rather tame in comparison but considering Laura's life as a witch the pace of the emergency room actually seemed to suit her. Adjusting the patient files under her arm, Laura paused as she caught sight of a familiar face. Her mouth dropped slightly before she cleared her throat. "Aunt Piper?"

Laura could almost see her aunt's entire body sink in its frozen position. Piper slowly turned to face her, forcing a friendly disposition. "Laura," she greeted. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just working, you know, the usual," she answered. Laura could see Piper's uneasiness and almost felt bad for catching her. Still the thought of her aunt coming from the oncology ward could only mean a few things. "What about you? What are you doing here in oncology?"

"I uh…" Piper failed to come up with a smooth answer. She knew bumping into Laura was a possibility but she'd convinced herself that her niece would be stuck in the emergency room, and not venture to the fourth floor. She cleared her throat. "I just had an appointment."

Laura's hazel eyes, the ones so similar to Piper's, clouded with anxiety. Their gazes fell heavy on one another's. Though Laura was clearly Phoebe's daughter, so much of her was Piper. The two wielded the same powers, held the same responsibilities of oldest sister, and often were more similar in personality than even Piper's own daughter. It was Piper who had taught Laura during her teenage years how to control her power. It was Piper who she looked up to for guidance and strength and tried so hard to emulate in her new position as a Charmed One. And for Piper, Laura was perhaps the niece closest to her heart.

"Aunt Piper…" Laura started.

"I'm fine, there's no reason to worry," Piper replied.

Laura knew better than to believe her. No one ever had a "routine check-up" with an oncologist. Piper's appointment could mean only one thing and it shook Laura to the core. "Aunt Piper do you have…"

"I'm fine, Laura," her aunt insisted more firmly. Her brown eyes solidified with seriousness. "No one needs to know about this, all right?"

She thought of saying more but Laura chewed her lower lip and only nodded. Emotion swelled in her chest. She hated to think that the woman she so idolized and praised for strength could be at risk to a disease that rendered her helpless. And the family. Laura sank when she thought about their reaction. Usually secrets spread quickly but already she knew this was one piece of information that was too delicate to share as rumor. Laura only pulled in a deep breath, folding her arms across her chest, sinking in her pale blue scrubs. "You'll tell them soon?" she asked.

Piper didn't even refute her. The two of them, standing there in the entrance to the oncology ward were far from denial. Laura was no idiot and deep down Piper knew she could trust her. "When the time is right and they're ready," Piper nodded.

Laura felt a thick lump forming in her throat and she anxiously swallowed past it. Her voice wavered as she spoke again. "Okay," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, honey," Piper said. Laura easily settled into her aunt's arms, embracing her tightly as if at any moment she would fade away. Piper's eyes glossed but she stubbornly pulled back any tears. She gave Laura's back one last pat. "Go on back to work, okay?"

"Yeah," Laura sniffled.

Piper watched as her eldest niece whisked away in her scrubs, sighing to herself once in the clear. She hated to think it was coming to this. Now that Laura knew she was obligated to start telling the rest of the family. But that notion haunted her. Telling them meant it was real. Telling them felt like defeat. Like she no longer had control. She no longer had a part in the fight.

She was running out of time.

* * *

A sleek black sports car swerved rudely in and out of San Francisco traffic, top down against the still chilly February breeze, hardly bothering the driver hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. The vehicle screeched at its destination and in an instant, a man in an entirely black designer suit stalked toward the entrance of Shadybrook Sanitarium. His shining shoes clicked on the white linoleum floors. He hardly glanced as a patient was wheeled by, mumbling nonsensically. Screams could be heard down the hallway as he stopped at the front desk.

"How can I help you sir?" the plump woman behind the desk asked.

"My name is John Mulam. I'm here to check out a patient," he answered. The woman looked up at him for the first time, clearly off put by the chilliness of his voice and demeanor. Malum slowly pulled off his sunglasses revealing an emotionless pair of gray eyes.

"Well, sir you're going to need to have the paperwork in order…"

Malum silently placed a neat stack of papers in front of her. She stopped her talking and swallowed hard. "We'll have to make sure these all check out…"

"They do," Malum replied tersely. "Now get me Damien Mason."

* * *

"Shhhh, it's all right," Jack soothed gently. He held Melinda tightly in his arms, her form small and shaking in his grasp. He rubbed her back as she sniffled into his chest. It broke him to encounter her so distraught.

"I'm sorry," Melinda apologized, pulling back in his hug. "It was just a hard morning."

"It's okay," Jack replied. He wiped away one of her tears. "You know you don't have to hesitate to call."

"I know," she nodded, drying her face. The classroom was empty and she was grateful Jack had come to her rescue. She was still suspicious of him and perhaps he wasn't the best person to call but somehow his willingness to show up brought her hope.

"You want to talk about what happened?" he asked. He took a seat on her desk, watching as she paced. They had less than fifteen minutes before students would start pouring into the room.

Melinda shook her head. "It's just my brothers. I mean, I suppose I wasn't very supportive of them either," she sniffled.

"What was the fight about?"

"Chris is dating this detective. The same one who has been investigating aunt Paige's death," Melinda replied. She intended to keep her guard up with Jack but as usual his calming presence had her willing to spill her guts without thought. "And Wyatt told us that he's gay. I kind of forced him into saying it…"

"That sounds overwhelming," Jack said. He inwardly cringed, knowing full well of Bianca's intentions with Chris.

"I guess we all are guilty of leading risky personal lives right now," she sighed unintentionally.

Jack's brow furrowed. "You too?" he asked. "What did they say to you? Was it about us?"

"No. Yes. Well…" Melinda was already turning bright red. Her heart rate accelerated and she longed for nothing more than to take back what she'd said. This certainly wasn't how she intended to confront Jack. In fact, she was still deciding whether she would confront him at all.

In the meantime Jack shifted on the desk, his own mind racing. "What did they say?" he asked.

"Jack, it's not important…"

"It clearly upset you," Jack replied. Part of him already knew what it could possibly be. Though he didn't want to hear it from her mouth he needed to. He needed fair warning of whether or not the Halliwells would be after him anytime soon. He was aware that as soon as they knew his part there'd be no escape from their wrath. He was playing with fire. "Melinda, you can tell me."

She shook her head. "It's nothing," she stammered. Melinda anxiously tucked her hair behind her ears. "They just don't trust you, that's all."

"Because you haven't brought me to meet the family?" Jack asked. Melinda didn't say anything and stared down at her feet. "Have I done anything to make them not trust me?"

There was still no answer and Jack pulled in a careful breath, his icy blue eyes desperately seeking her face. "Do you trust me?" he asked gently.

Melinda paused her pacing. Her voice was light and breathless. "I don't know Jack," she managed.

Jack slowly stood from his seat. "I thought we cleared up the misunderstanding about the tickets and money and…"

"It's not that," Melinda cut him off. She looked up now, her chocolate eyes fierce and scared. "Please don't make me do this, Jack…"

Now his heart rattled unsteadily and the color drained from his cheeks. The walls of the room seemed to close in around them. Everything was happening too fast and too slow all at the same time. This wasn't how he wanted it to go. "Melinda…"

"Who are you?" she asked him. The question was simple but powerful. It was silent as Jack swallowed hard, shifting with guilt and panic. "Jack?"

"What do you mean? What do you want to know?" he asked.

"You know what I want to know," Melinda said tightly. Now more strength surged through her. She hadn't expected the moment to be so organic or sudden but there was no turning back. She wouldn't again have the audacity to confront him. Running on pure emotion and impulse was her greatest chance.

Jack contemplated his options, only to desire a chance for escape. He was about to lose her. He was running out of time. "Please, Melinda, don't. Not like this…"

"You've been lying to me…"

"I haven't!"

"They think you're a demon Jack!" Melinda shouted.

The two of them were struck silent. She caught her breath and Jack was frozen. There was no use in pretending the word shocked him. He'd hardly reacted. That in itself was a slip up. A point of no return. "What do you think?" he asked her instead.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know but I don't want to think it's true."

Jack closed his eyes for a pause while Melinda's lower lip began to tremble. "I love you, Melinda," he said. It was all that was left to say. The only thing that could save them.

"Then tell me it's not true," Melinda replied hoarsely.

He prepared to respond only for the classroom to open behind them. "Ms. Halliwell, you said we could go over my test," the student announced, pausing when she took sight of Jack. Melinda desperately collected herself and nodded.

"Yeah. Yes, of course," she said, snapping her attention away from Jack and sniffling away any emotion.

"Melinda…" Jack tried, standing idly while she and the student went to her desk.

"Go, Jack. Just go," Melinda glared. He frowned and with no fight took his exit.

* * *

The kitchen was encased in a musky fog of herbs and other potion aromas, circling in the tight quarters and forcing Sam to open the windows of the apartment. Nick remained in front of the stove, generously throwing ingredients into the bowling pot of water. Empty glass vials covered the counters as well as other powders and spices and herbs.

"I still can't believe he didn't think to tell me!" Sam sighed as she flopped into a chair at the table. Nick glanced over his shoulder.

"Maybe that's what he was coming over here to talk to you about," Nick said. "The application isn't finished yet…"

"But he didn't even discuss this with me. He doesn't tell me anything anymore," Sam replied, running a hand through her hair.

"I wouldn't say you're being honest with him either," he told her.

"He knows we're together," she retorted.

"But we still exist like some dark secret. It puts distance between you and him. Between you and your entire family," Nick reasoned, casually stirring the potion in front of him. Sam looked over her shoulder in confusion.

"Since when are you a family therapist? And also since when do you care?" Sam asked.

"I don't," he said quickly. When he caught Sam's eyes however he shook his head. "I just know it's important to you. And I know what it's like to not have that."

Sam gave a slight frown. "You've never really talked to me about your family. Other than your dad dying."

"Well it's another story for another day. Right now we're talking about you," Nick said.

"Aren't we always talking about me?"

"Isn't that how you like it?

"Shut up," Sam chuckled at his sarcasm. Their relationship hadn't changed much since they started sleeping together again. If anything it felt natural and comfortable and right. The transition to couple was easy, making it seem that perhaps all along they were destined for such an arrangement. "I guess we've all three been distant. Sometimes I think it will never go back to how it used to be."

"It can't," Nick replied. "Too much has changed."

"It doesn't mean we can't talk to each other. I mean, Joey joining the police force is a big deal and it's a decision he made without consulting Kate or I…"

"He's a grown man," Nick replied. "He can do what he wants. Just like you can do what you want. He didn't criticize you for being with me. You can't hold him back from what he wants either…"

"I hate how rational you are sometimes," Sam said as she rose from the table. Nick had already left his brew to take a closer position near her and easily wrapped his arms around her waist. "He still could have told me."

"I'm sure that will be Kate and the rest of the family's reaction when you finally tell them about us."

"They're too busy with their own drama. I'll just tell them when the time seems right and we'll avoid any of the usual angst…"

"It is so cute that you actually think that is going to work," Nick teased, kissing the top of her nose.

"You know you are not funny," Sam quipped.

"I think I am…" he smiled before stealing a kiss, this time from her warm lips. Nick grinned as they pulled away.

"You're steaming," Sam told him.

"You're pretty hot yourself," Nick replied.

Before he could kiss her again, Sam smirked and moved back. "No, your potion is steaming…"

"Shit!" he cursed, quickly returning to the stove. Sam chuckled, watching as he frantically moved the pot from the burner. It was the first time since Paige's death that she felt happy. After her mother's passing her life was pressed by only stress and sadness. With Nick her troubles were quickly gone. He made her felt confident in her demon battles, safe in his arms, and made her smile even when she didn't think it possible. He was exactly what she needed. And she refused to lose him.

* * *

The restaurant was silent. The staff was on lunch break and wouldn't be back before preparation for the dinner rush. Usually Wyatt would have taken the chance to do something productive but instead he lingered in the kitchen, mindlessly tossing spices and ingredients into a sizzling pan. He was so taken by his work that he hardly noticed the footsteps behind him.

"We're closed," he said.

"Keeping your hands busy I see," Piper observed gently, slowly easing into the kitchen.

Wyatt looked up and met her face. "You taught me that," he said.

"And your grams taught me," she smirked. Her smile faded as Wyatt silently turned back to his ingredients, clearly hurt and angry from the morning's events. Piper swallowed hard. "You're upset."

"Now you want to talk?" Wyatt asked bitterly. He roughly tossed in a handful of paprika.

Piper ran a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry for not being as supportive as I could have this morning," she said. "There was a lot going on…"

"This is perhaps the hardest thing I've ever had to do," he cut her off. "I've faced demons and warlocks and monsters since I was a child but coming out, having the acceptance of my family, was the scariest thing I've done for quite some time. And when I needed you most, you had nothing to say to me," Wyatt said. His words came out with more venom than he intended but he'd spent the last four hours replaying the morning in his head. He didn't mean to make Piper his punching bag. He was mad at Chris and Melinda as well but his mother had ended up being the first person through the door.

"I know I let you down, Wy, and I never wanted to," Piper told him sadly.

"It's fine. It's done," he insisted, hiding his eyes from hers as he continued to busy himself.

"Hey, honey, stop," she said. Wyatt continued but she reached a hand in, cupping the side of his face. "Wyatt, look at me…Wyatt…"

He pulled in a breath to keep his composure as he stopped fidgeting with ingredients. With his mother's hand still at his cheek he slowly found her gaze. The sadness of his face and the desolation in his hazel eyes made Piper drop inside. He looked like a little boy again, disappointed by her failures. Except now he was a grown man, nearly a full foot taller than his mother and thirty years old. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what honey?" Piper asked.

"For everything," he said.

"Never apologize for who you are Wyatt," she told him seriously. Wyatt blushed slightly and Piper quickly took him by the shoulders, forcing him to face her. "I am so proud of you, Wyatt. You are beyond what I could have asked for in a son. You're compassionate and strong and humble and I thank God every day for having you. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, you could do or say to make me love you any less."

Wyatt swallowed down past a rock of emotion in his throat, deeply moved by his mother's passionate declaration. The reassurance of her love, while it seemed stupid to need, was exactly what was necessary to soothe him. Somehow coming out made him feel less worthy and certainly more vulnerable. And of all people it was his mother he depended on fiercely to pull him from the rut of shame.

"Thank you," he managed hoarsely. "I shouldn't have overreacted this morning. I should have known you'd be accepting. All these years I've just felt all this pressure. Being the most powerful witch on Earth isn't a walk in the park…"

"Well, you certainly make it seem that way," Piper rubbed his shoulder. "But being gay, Wyatt, doesn't make you less powerful or respectful. If anything it's a strength, not a weakness. We have always raised you to be individuals and we will always love you, whatever you choose to be. I mean, at one point we thought you'd be the ruler of all evil, and even if that had happened I would have loved you just as much."

Wyatt chuckled. "Yeah, I guess this is small compared to that," he said.

"I love you," Piper told him. The two embraced tightly, Piper nearly on her tip toes to fit him into her arms. Wyatt rested his head on her shoulder for a pause. Her heart felt light in the position but was still strained by news of a heavier notion. "I hope you and Chris and Melinda can patch things up soon…"

"That's going to take time mom," Wyatt frowned.

"We don't have time, honey," Piper told him. Wyatt pulled back from the hug, staring at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asked. For the last week he'd observed rather peculiar behavior in both his parents but now he got the feeling it was much graver than he thought. Piper shook her head but he pressed further. "Mom, please tell me…"

Piper pulled in a slow breath of trepidation. Her usually strong countenance fought to maintain itself and she forced an unconvincing look of confidence. "I'm sick," she said.

Wyatt's brow dipped in confusion. "What do you mean? With what?" he asked.

"We wanted to tell you this morning but things got out of hand," Piper rambled shakily. "But then I saw Laura this morning and I just know I need to start telling you all before…"

"Mom, you're scaring me. What is it?" Wyatt asked.

"Cancer," Piper said, still trying to maintain an aura of calm. Her brown eyes, however, seemed to shrink with the words. Wyatt's face immediately fell and his gaze nearly melted with sadness. Piper cleared her throat. "It's uh…stage four lymphoma."

The breath was gone from Wyatt's chest as he tried to rationalize all he'd heard. For some reason it didn't settle. He shook his head. "Stage four?" he asked. "That's bad, right?"

Piper closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm going to get treatment…"

"How long have you known?"

"A few weeks," she replied.

Wyatt ran a hand through his butterscotch hair. It was useless to become angry at her secrecy. Instead he only felt fear and panic. "How did this happen?" he asked.

"I don't know, honey," Piper replied sadly. "I started getting sick around Paige's funeral…"

"I remember you had that cough. I thought it was bronchitis."

"We did too. But I lost weight and I went to the doctor and they noticed all my lymph nodes were swollen," she explained. "It happened so fast. I'm still trying to believe it myself."

"It's spread? That's what stage four means right?" Wyatt asked, his hazel eyes glossy with tears.

"Yeah," Piper answered gently. She thought of withholding the details to avoid scaring him but it was of no use. In fact, it finally felt good to tell someone. "It's in my bone marrow and part of my lungs…"

"Oh God, mom," Wyatt whimpered. He nearly collapsed into her arms this time, gripping her tightly and crying silently. Piper couldn't help the tears from falling from her own eyes.

"It's going to be okay," she tried to assure him in a breathless sniffle. Wyatt only held her more tightly, whimpering helplessly at the news. Piper did her best to pull herself together, knowing that if she were to break now she'd never be able to face the rest of the family. "We have to be strong, honey. Alright? It's not going to be easy…"

Wyatt nodded frantically, catching his breath and hastily wiping away his tears as they pulled away from their embrace. Piper appeared to have garnered her composure as she patted at Wyatt's face with a napkin. "It's treatable, right?" he asked.

Piper gave a nod. "It is. And I'll be damned if I don't do everything possible to fight this thing," she said. Wyatt smirked, feeling small assurance at his mother's vigor and strength. He should have expected nothing less than a woman who had seen and experienced some of the worst things possible. But cancer would be an entirely new demon and evil. It was one none of them could fight with powers or spells and that in itself shook Wyatt to his core.

"I haven't told anyone else. I think Laura knows. She saw me at the hospital this morning," Piper murmured.

"Dad knows?"

"Yes, but we've agreed to tell the family together. I would appreciate it if you didn't tell your brother and sister yet…"

"But mom, they're going to want to know."

"You saw what happened this morning. I want to sort all that out first…"

"You may not have time to sort that out," Wyatt said gently. Somberness overtook the two and Piper swallowed hard, nodding her head.

"I'll tell them soon," she agreed.

"Good," Wyatt nodded. He chewed on his lower lip, choking back more tears. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

_Not as long as some of the other chapters but we're finally starting to get to deal with some heavy stuff in this one! I know some people got left out (Chris, Lucy) but to include them would just be repetitive and we'll be catching up with everyone soon! Thanks for the reviews, I hope they continue, they make a huge difference. I'll be going back to school in a week (Go Ducks!) so updates might slow but I want to try to be better about sticking with this throughout the school year. It's certainly my escape from other more boring writing haha. As always tell me what you think and who you like and what you want to see! Thanks ~ sammy_


	33. Good Times Gonna Come : Segment 3

Malum kept a hand over his mouth, eyes flickering with disgust as he watched the man across from him. The pair sat in a corner booth of a coffee stained, greasy, aged San Francisco diner. A stack of cheeseburgers oozing with grease and sauce sat in front of Malum's companion. The man hunched over the food, devouring it as though he hadn't ate in ages. One wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. His cheeks were gaunt, his skin pale, and his eyes were sunken blue holes in his face. Dark hair fell across his forehead and the fearsomeness of his large frame was made meek at the lack of meat on his bones.

This was Damien Mason.

"You know, I could just find you a cow," Malum suggested. He was over dressed for the working class restaurant and shifted uneasily on the worn red cushion of their booth.

"I've been waiting six years for this," Damien grunted between bites. He wore a baggy University of San Francisco sweatshirt and old athletic shorts. He appeared as though he'd robbed the lost and found of a gym. "The food at Shadybrook is shit."

Malum picked a few crumbs off the table. "Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore," he said. His demeanor became less patient. "In fact, you'll have plenty of time to stuff your face whenever you wish, but for now I think we have some business to attend to."

"And to that I would say that you're the one at my mercy. After all, you're the one who broke me out," Damien replied. "I assume you want something from me…"

"I suppose some of that is true. I do want something from you. But I think you'll find you and I want the same things," Malum smiled.

"What would those things be?"

"Well for starters, I'd like to make you the head of the Brotherhood of Thorn," Malum said.

Damien shook his head. "I don't care about the Brotherhood," he growled.

"You'd be taking the position of your brother…"

This prospect quickly changed Damien's attitude. Something sparked in his sapphire gaze and he straightened in his seat. "Delezar?" he asked.

Malum nodded with a smile. "He abandoned his assignment. It seems he wasn't the demon we all thought he was."

"I'm sure that just kills mother," Damien muttered bitterly. "He was always her favorite."

"Well, Aliah is certainly broken up about it. The worst of it is that he's fallen in love with a Halliwell…"

"A Halliwell? The Halliwells?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Malum shook his head. "Of course, I'm having it taken care of. Today actually but that's beside the point."

"What is the point? You want me to take his place? What do I get out of that?" Damien growled.

"Well, that's the question, isn't it? You help me, I help you. What do you want Damien?"

"I heard you worked like a businessman. I guess they were right," he smirked. He folded his arms across his chest, leaning back in his seat. "I want my powers back for starters."

"Naturally…"

"And I want what any demon wants. I want revenge. I want power," Damien said. "Against my mother. Against my brother. And against the Triad."

"You'll have all those things and more," Malum replied. He grinned widely as he leaned in closer. "You will not be cast out again. What happened with the Triad is unforgiveable but you won't have to worry about that anymore."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I'm in charge now," he said happily. "And you are going to be my right hand man. The Triad is nothing. They're weak, grappling for power. You'll have your revenge for what they did to you."

"And the Stones," Damien repeated. His eyes grew darker, his appearance more desperate. "I want them back. I need them back."

"You will have everything you want and more," Malum said. He reached across the table, offering a hand. "I think we're both going to be very happy."

Damien paused for a moment, staring deep into Malum's eyes. He could see right through the man in a single look. Damien was beyond the typical sociopath or psychopath. He was pure demon. Pure rage and power existed in him. There was nothing good inside him and Malum knew this. It's why he chose him in the first place. It's why Damien would change everything.

With a cocky smile he grabbed Malum's hand. It was done.

* * *

The car ride to Cornerstone Rehabilitation Facility was uncomfortably quiet as Sam sat in the driver's seat. Two days ago when they'd agreed to carpool it seemed like an excellent idea to make a road trip of the event but now as she glanced in her rearview mirror and at the passenger seat, she thoroughly regretted such an idea. Ever since picking up Joey, Lucy, and her aunt Phoebe, the four of them were stuck in stubborn silence.

Joey refused to look at his sister, still horrified from the morning's encounter, and Sam was too occupied trying to figure out how to confront him about his application to the police academy to come up with any smooth conversation starters. Phoebe and Lucy were just as silent, both situated with arms folded and jaws tight.

Sam desperately cleared her throat. "So, Lucy, I hear you're going to start working at Harvey & Roark?" she tried uneasily.

"I'll be an intern," Lucy replied. "Usually they only take graduate students but I'll be out this spring and they liked my portfolio…"

"Well that was nice of you to share your career plans with your family," Sam said, eyeing Joey from the rearview mirror. He kept his gaze out the window, uneasily shifting in his seat.

"Yes, she'll have our full support," Phoebe put in oblivious, glaring out the passenger window. "Because that's what family does."

"When you let them know what's going on," Sam pressed again at Joey.

"Unless of course you have a good reason to not support them," Lucy nearly shouted.

"Like maybe it puts their life in danger?" Sam suggested bitterly.

"Or ruins your entire childhood?" Lucy clipped.

"Where is this coming from?" Phoebe asked, looking over her shoulder at her youngest daughter.

"Forget it, I don't want to talk about it," Lucy muttered angrily.

"Oh my gosh this car is so passive aggressive I can't breathe," Joey growled, rolling down his window.

"I want to talk about it," Phoebe continued prodding Lucy defensively.

"Oh you're tired of passive aggressive, Joe?" Sam challenged from her seat, growing with fervor as well. She threw the papers from his application into the backseat. "Let's talk about those!"

Sam's gesture paused Phoebe and Lucy's bickering. "What is that?" Phoebe asked.

"His application for the police academy," Lucy answered.

"Are you kidding me? Lucy knew before I did?" Sam growled.

"Joey, honey, you're joining the police force?" Phoebe asked.

"I haven't even turned in the forms. I was going to talk to Sam this morning but I walked in on her screwing Nick…"

"Knock! Normal human beings knock!"

"I did!" Joey yelled. "It's not like I wanted to see you two doing it!"

"Who's Nick?" Lucy asked.

"He's no one!" Sam insisted. She glared at her brother. "We'll talk about this later."

"Oh what? You can confront me about my life choices but I can't confront you about yours?" Joey asked.

"I told you about Nick in confidence!"

"Oh my God please tell me we're almost there," Lucy moaned, throwing her head back on the seat.

"Why do you have places to be Lucy? Because we both know you're not rushing off to my book signing," Phoebe quipped.

"Big deal! I'm sorry for not reading your book, okay? I'll finish it tomorrow! Will that make you happy?" Lucy shouted.

"It's not about you reading my book! It's about you supporting me like I have supported you!"

"Oh was that what you were doing when you were on the road during your first book tour? Was that to support me?!"

"We're here," Sam interrupted, still scowling at her brother.

"Thank God," Lucy said, nearly throwing herself out of the car as soon as it came to a stop. She tossed the door closed, just in time to find Chris and Lila deep in conversation in the parking lot. "Hola…"

The two hardly noticed her as they spoke. "I'm sorry but we already have enough staff as it is," Chris told her.

"But Chris, I could even be a bus boy – bus girl, just give me a chance!" Lila begged desperately. Her plea for a job was so far proving unsuccessful. Though she thought the family business was a sure in for employment Chris' news was providing little hope. "I'll even take out the trash!"

"Lila, I'm sorry but it's not that easy. If someone quits or there's an opening you'll be at the top of the list but right now I don't have anything open at the club or the restaurant. I'm sorry," Chris sighed.

"Can't you just fire someone?" Lila shouted.

"I can't do that Ly," Chris groaned. "Trust me, I want to, but I just can't."

"Since when are you looking for a job?" Sam spoke up, joining up with the trio. Phoebe and Joey slowly ambled after, swelling the group to a larger size.

"Since I'm getting married and can't survive off a Cupid's salary which is non-existent by the way," Lila snapped. "Chris, please…"

"Ly, I can't…"

"Can't what?" Wyatt asked, joining the growing crowd of Halliwells.

Chris almost instantly tensed and glared at his brother's arrival. "It's nothing that concerns you, Wy," he muttered before stalking off.

Wyatt sighed in frustration while the rest of the family observed in curiosity. Before more could be exchanged, a clear and authoritative voice rang through the gathering. "What are we all doing in the parking lot?" Piper nearly shouted, Leo at her side.

"Nothing," they all grumbled in equal annoyance, moving toward the entrance with nearly identical bitterness.

* * *

"Remember tomorrow's quiz will be covering the last three lessons on completing the square. Memorize the circle!" Melinda advised, nearly shouting over the noise of students who scrambled out of the room after the bell. "I will be holding a study session after school today for those of you who need extra help…"

As soon as the last student filed out, the door slamming shut behind her, Melinda flopped into the chair behind her desk, resting her head on the wood surface. The emotional strain brought on by her family, the stress that came with keeping up with her class, and her near certainty that Jack was indeed who everyone was suspecting him to be, had her reeling with fatigue and dread. It was amazing how quickly things had turned inside out. It seemed as though since Paige's death the entire family was spinning in chaos. In fact it appeared that Laura, Lila, and Lucy were fairing far better than anyone else, which was a good indicator of how tumultuous the lives of the Halliwells had become.

Melinda shook her head. In all her years she'd never been one for the dramatics that many of her other cousins and even her brothers were often privy to. Maintaining normalcy, not that it was very possible, was her optimal aim. Dating a demon was certainly off the course of caution she so desperately tried to follow. The worst part was that deep down she was beginning to not care of his lineage. The truth was she loved Jack. If that meant risking her futile fight for normalcy she was willing to take the chance.

She glared up at the clock. With only a stroke of luck she'd have enough time for a coffee refill before her second period class filed in. Caffeine was the only thing keeping her going lately and Melinda solemnly picked up her mug. Before she could reach the door and scurry off to the teacher's lounge, a light thump brought her pause.

Usually she would have assured herself it was nothing but the dropping of her stomach and the hair prickling the back of neck advised otherwise. She quickly spun, relieved to find nothing behind her. Melinda shook her head, catching her breath, scolding herself for being so paranoid. But the uneasiness remained and before she could reach the door a sense of impending danger intensified.

She felt the presence behind her, but not soon enough to turn and see the foe. A rough hand wrapped around her waist and before she could yet out a yelp, a piercing pain shot up her lower back, instantly taking her breath away. Her mouth dropped as the demon plunged a knife into her, his heaving breath whipping the back of her neck. Melinda desperately pulled in a gasp for air as he yanked the blade from her flesh. A warm sensation travelled down her spine, negating the initial burning and tearing of tissue. She stumbled forward, holding herself up on a student's desk as the demon – a man with bulging arms and piercing black eyes – took a few long strides to meet her again.

The room was spinning as Melinda found her voice. "Help," she called to no one in particular. No one could hear her in the chaos of the hallway and with the door sealed shut she was surely helpless. The demon grabbed her again, this time by the throat, the only thing holding her up, keeping her from collapsing to the ground. Her knees and legs were useless beneath her, swaying with little control. The air seemed to leave her head. Her throat was dry. "Help!"

"No one can hear you," the haunting voice whispered into her ear. His stiff, strong body was tight against hers. "The Source sends his regards to your family. He also says that this only had to happen to you because Delezar – your dear Jack – didn't have the courage to make a move himself…"

Melinda tried to focus on keeping her eyes open as the man's words echoed nonsensically through her ears. He sounded miles away. The room existed in rapid circles and the breaths she took became more and more shallow. She could hardly feel the knife enter her again, not far from where the first wound was. She couldn't see that her blouse was now completely soaked in blood, red and damp from her insides. The demon chuckled as he twisted the blade through her back, taking a moment to sniff her wavy brown hair. Melinda coughed and gasped, the dryness of her throat making each inhale unbearable.

"It's been a pleasure Ms. Halliwell," the demon purred, yanking his weapon out. Melinda almost instantly fell to the cold linoleum floor, helped by a forceful nudge from her persecutor.

She wasn't sure if he shimmered out but she certainly felt alone. The coldness of the floor was the only thing she could feel beneath her cheek. Her heart beat faded in her ears and a sleepy envelope of warmth overcame her. As breathing became a more difficult task, the thought suddenly hit her that she was dying. Melinda choked violently on the words she needed to cry for help. "Please…" she whispered. A few tears clouded her chocolate eyes.

Her body was shot for energy and a pool of dark viscous blood surrounded her limp form. In desperation she threw out an arm trying her best to crawl forward. Her limbs only protested, quickly collapsing beneath her. "No," she sobbed. Each effort sped up the process of losing consciousness. She fought to stay awake. She thought of her mother. Her father. Her brothers and cousins. She thought of Jack. She thought of all the moments that had led up to such a tragic fate. And she thought that perhaps if anyone in the family was expendable, it was her.

The blood that once seemed illusory now served as a puddle in which she lay. She watched it increase in circumference and irrationally the equation to solve such a problem flashed through her head. "Aunt Paige…" Melinda breathed. Her eyes set on the blank wall in the back of the classroom. The fatigue overcame her and as she allowed her eyelids to fall, the door to the room flew open.

"Ms. Halliwell, I need help on…" the voice of a student echoed through the last seconds of her consciousness like the words of someone at the end of a tunnel. There was a pause and suddenly footsteps. "Ms. Halliwell? Someone help! Someone hurry, she's hurt!"

A thunder of voices and moving bodies sounded. Two other teachers and later Principal Keller stumbled in, taking a knee at her side. The students outside were in chaos and other administrators were forced to keep them outside the room. "Melinda!" Principal Keller shouted. "Call 911! We need an ambulance, now!"

* * *

Kate watched in silent trepidation as her family filed into the room. Their size was intimidating, a brood of nine, all coming to support the black sheep screw up in the family. She'd insisted that it wasn't necessary for them to all be present at family day, but it seemed no one took her seriously, and enthusiastically joined the session for honesty and amends. Nerves tightened her stomach as she glanced at the other patients and their own gloomy families. It was one thing to deal with the Halliwells in private, but an entire other to experience them in public. Already she could sense they were irritated and while she doubted it was because of her, she quietly hoped that the floodgates wouldn't open for the entire rehab clinic to hear.

"Hello my name is Dr. Franklin, I'm an alcoholic and also the lead psychiatrist here at Cornerstone Rehabilitation Clinic," a middle aged man introduced himself. He wore glasses and a collared shirt, a clipboard at his lap.

"Hi Dr. Franklin," the rest of the group echoed. It was clear who was a patient and who was a visitor. The greeting back was second nature for those who were regulars at meetings.

"I want to start by saying I'm so glad to see so many faces of support. I've been sober for six years and I can't tell you how important it is to have people who can help you through rough times and encourage you to be your best. That's what we're all about here at the clinic and we hope that carries over once our patients go back home," Dr. Franklin explained. "Today is all about making amends and open communication. How this will work is everyone will have the chance to face their families and apologize for anything they are ready to make amends for. This is a very important part of the twelve steps. Our goal today is to create a safe speaking environment. Everyone will have their turn to say whatever is on their mind…"

Dr. Franklin paused at an interruption coming from the familiar ring of a cell phone. The entire room shifted, looking for the source of the noise. At the second ring all eyes landed on a blushing Leo, who embarrassedly fumbled with the device. Piper smacked his thigh next to her. "Leo!" she hissed.

"Sorry," he apologized as he silenced the phone.

"We ask that you all make sure your cell phones are off and away," Dr. Franklin said less than amused. He cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at the patient on his left. "Kate, how about you and your family go first?"

With a nervous sigh she nodded. The clan of Halliwells quickly pulled chairs into a row, maneuvering to squeeze into places in the crowded room. Others watched in slight surprise at the immense size of Kate's family. The Halliwells never failed to draw attention to themselves and Kate blushed at the commotion they were already causing.

"My name's Kate and I'm an alcoholic," she introduced herself once everyone was situated. The room echoed back in greeting. She pulled in a calming breath as she faced her family. She'd seen them all at least once during her time in rehab but now encountering the group together was becoming overwhelming. "I guess I first want to just thank you all for coming."

"Of course, honey," Phoebe and the rest of them nodded.

Kate inhaled another nervous breath. "I don't really know where to start," she said, glancing at Dr. Franklin for help.

"Just choose someone you want to say sorry to for anything specific, just like we talked about. This is a safe space, no one is going to judge you," Dr. Franklin advised.

"Okay," she nodded anxiously. Her eyes landed on the cousin closest to her. "Uh Lila, I wanted to say I'm sorry for that night you found me when everyone was at the hospital. I said some things I shouldn't have said and I fought you when you were just trying to help me. Thank you for coming back for me and I'm sorry for being such a wreck that evening."

"It's okay," Lila said sweetly. "You're already forgiven."

Kate sighed again, chewing on her lower lip. "Lucy I wanted to apologize to you too. I don't know if you noticed but when you broke your leg, I stole some of your painkillers…"

"You never told us you were on painkillers," Sam suddenly blurted out in shock.

"You'll all have your turn to say what you need to but right now Kate is talking to Lucy," Dr. Franklin advised her.

"Yeah, maybe she wasn't ready to discuss it with you," Joey grunted at his older sister bitterly. Sam glared at him, folding arms across her chest.

"Sorry but this is my reaction when you two hide important information from me," Sam hissed back.

"Hey, can you two shut up? This is my amends," Lucy glared at the pair next to her. She turned her attention back to Kate. "I thought I noticed but I didn't want to accuse you. I forgive you though."

"Thanks," Kate sighed. Her eyes went to Chris next. "Chris, I want to apologize for a lot of things. I know you kept my secret after I begged you to and that wasn't fair. And then when you tried to help at the intervention, I said some really hurtful things to you. I don't think you don't have a life or that you're too involved with the family. In fact, those qualities are some of your most admirable. I'm sorry for lashing out at you."

"You shouldn't apologize for being honest," Wyatt mumbled.

Chris heard Wyatt's remark and quickly turned outraged. "Shut up, Wy…"

"What? You are far too involved in everyone else's business when it doesn't concern you…"

"Oh you don't think it's my business to know what's going on in my own brother's life? Especially when it's about something he's lied to me about for twenty-eight years?" Chris snapped.

"Okay, how about we bring this back to the amends…"

Dr. Franklin's words were drowned out by the feuding brothers. "You somehow manage to make everything about you! I didn't do this on purpose to hurt you!" Wyatt barked.

"Boys knock it off," Piper growled at her sons, but neither were receptive to her request.

"I'm not upset that you're gay! I'm upset that you couldn't tell me!" Chris yelled.

"Wait, Wyatt's gay?" Joey asked mouth wide open in surprise. He chuckled to himself but once realizing no one else was laughing quickly went silent.

"Yes! Yes, to everyone here, I'm gay! Now everyone knows," Wyatt shouted to the entire room of patients and their families. Kate ran a hand down her face in embarrassment while the rest of the Halliwells continued as if they were still in the privacy of their own home.

"I knew it," Lila said.

"Me too," Lucy replied.

"What do you mean you knew it?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm a …" Lila's words trailed off as she was about to reveal her occupation as a cupid. "Because it's my job to know honey."

"I just know you like Ryan Gosling movies way too much for a straight guy," Lucy replied. "And Sam can't keep a secret or tell a lie to save her life…"

"Sam!" Wyatt yelled.

"You told her before you told me?" Chris shouted.

"Okay, everyone stop!" Dr. Franklin interjected. As the noise came to a halt, the clearly baffled psychiatrist adjusted his glasses and caught his breath. "I know we're all about honest communication but this is a little chaotic. You're all supposed to be here for Kate, so why don't we let her try to continue…"

With order restored Kate faced the dysfunctional group once more. She knew the faster she made ammends, the sooner it would be done and her crazed family could stop making a scene. She locked eyes with her twin. "Sam, I think I owe you the biggest apology of anyone here. I can hardly begin to make amends with you because I did so many things wrong. I was selfish and I shut you out when I should've been supporting you and letting you support me. I want to be honest with you and I know it will take time but I hope one day you can forgive me and we can be close again," Kate said.

Sam was moved by her sister's honesty and gave a slow nod. "I want that too," she replied gently. She couldn't meet Kate's eyes as the guilt of her own dishonesty bullied her. "It will take a long time to build that trust again…"

"Yeah, I'm sure it will take her a long time to trust you again too," Joey put in bitterly.

"Joey, don't," Sam snapped at him.

"Don't what?" Kate asked.

"No, I'm going to. I'm tired of keeping secrets. Look how tense and angry everyone has been this last month," Joey argued.

"This is good," Dr. Franklin said, pleased at the apparent therapeutic progress. "And how does that make you feel?"

"Really?" Lucy scoffed.

"Angry and tense…" Joey repeated rolling his eyes. "So let's get this over with. I'm joining the police force. I'm not asking you for your permission or opinion, I'm simply telling you as a courtesy. This is my decision and it's not up for debate. And I know it's not my secret to tell but Sam is dating Nick and let's just say he's not the human being we all thought he was…"

"Joey!" Sam exclaimed in outrage.

"Use feeling words, Sam. How does this make you feel?" Dr. Franklin encouraged.

"Pissed off at my dumb ass little brother!" Sam yelled.

"Wait, Sam who the hell is this guy?" Chris asked.

"Oh don't judge her, Chris. You're the one fucking Detective Lawrence," Wyatt revealed angrily.

"Chris, really? That's a little reckless don't you think?" Phoebe asked her nephew in shock.

"Joey, you're joining the police force?" Kate asked in surprise. Her attention seemed more focused on Joey's revelation than Sam's, surprising the brother and sister pair.

"Uh yeah," he stammered.

"I am too," she said.

"What?" Sam choked.

"I put in my application," Kate replied. "I had no idea Joey was going to do the same…"

"Oh my God is everyone getting jobs but me?" Lila sighed in frustration. She glared at Chris. "Thanks for nothing."

"I can't just fire people for you!" Chris shouted.

"Right, can't give up a little career success or fame for family, can you?" Lucy glared at her mother.

Phoebe's mouth dropped. "Is that supposed to be directed at me, because I think you and I should just talk this out now instead of you staying angry…"

"I'm angry because the first time you wrote one of these books, it ruined everything!" Lucy blurted out. "You were gone all the time, you and dad always argued, and I'm supposed to be happy about the sequel to your book?! Sorry I don't associate joy with your career as an author!"

"Let's try speaking one at a time! Please!" Dr. Franklin tried to be heard above the noise but it was of no use. Lucy and Phoebe now shouted at each other in outrage while Chris and Wyatt spewed venom, occasionally interrupted by a bitter Lila. Leo did his best to interject with Piper who was beginning to lose her patience.

"You can't both be joining the police force!" Sam yelled at her brother and sister. "Most of all without even thinking to tell me?"

"It's not like you're being completely honest with your life, Sam!" Kate shouted.

"But you're not seriously joining the police force, right? That's just like a back-up for other jobs?" Joey asked hopefully, anxiously twiddling his thumbs.

"No, Joey, I really am applying," Kate rolled her eyes.

"But you can't!" he shouted.

"Oh what is that you're thing too?"

"Yes!"

"No, neither of you can do this! Did you forget that dad was killed in the line of duty?" Sam tried desperately.

"Spare us the lecture, do I need to remind you who you keep company with or where you spend your free time?" Kate snapped.

"This isn't fair! I wanted to be a cop first! I call it!" Joey yelled.

"What are you? Five!" Kate shouted.

Dr. Franklin had completely lost control of the room. As the Mitchell trio continued yelling and the rest of the family was hot with bitterness and rage, it seemed as though the dams that had contained secrecy and tempers were finally broken. While chaotic and overwhelming it was perhaps the most honest they'd been with each other since Paige's death. Lies and old baggage were tumbling out of the closet; of course no one expected it to be so much at once.

Losing patience and lacking any effect, Piper Halliwell decided it was time to do what she did best. With a roll of her eyes and a long sigh she stood from her seat, taking a stand near Dr. Franklin. In one loud, ear piercing whistle she caught the attention of her sons, nieces, nephew, sister, and husband who momentarily stopped their squabbling.

"Enough!" Piper shouted. In a breath of fortitude and authority she stared down at her family. "Do you think screaming at each other like this is going to solve anything? I know the last few weeks have been overwhelming but this is ridiculous people. You're not in high school anymore; you're adults, so start acting like it! If we're ever going to make it you're going to have to get over your differences, stop keeping secrets from each other, and learn how to solve your problems without reverting to age sixteen! Because one of these days we're not going to be here to make sure it all works out…"

Piper swallowed hard at the last statement, avoiding both Leo and Wyatt's saddened faces. The rest of the group sheepishly peered down, growing ashamed and embarrassed at their behavior. "Now, are we ready to let Kate continue?"

"Yes," the group murmured defeatedly.

"Great," Piper sighed. "Dr. Franklin, take it away…"

The therapist remained in awe of the matriarch, scrambling to collect himself before addressing the Halliwells once more.

* * *

The emergency floor of San Francisco Memorial Hospital was tame as Laura Halliwell returned from triage. In her first three hours on shift she'd sent two patients to surgery, written a few prescriptions for antibiotics, and set a broken arm. All in all it was already looking like a long shift. "Nine hours to go," she sighed as she reached the front desk.

"Great so you have time to check out our patient with the yeast infection in curtain two?" Dr. McHale teased as he looked up from his chart.

"Funny, I thought that's what med students were for," Laura replied with a chuckle. She glanced at the nurse who joined them at the center desk. "Elizabeth, did Ryan happen to come down?"

"No, why? Do you need oncology?" she asked.

"No," Laura sighed. Since running into her aunt Piper she could hardly shake the thoughts or worries from her mind. She knew better than to go snooping because of patient confidentiality rules but this was the one rare case that made her want to break protocol.

"We have a trauma coming in, ETA 1 minute," McHale announced to the nearby staff, hanging up the phone after getting off a call with an ambulance. "Halliwell, Elizabeth, you're with me. I want a room clear and have surgery ready…"

"Surgery ready? Why? What do we have?" Laura asked as she pulled on rubber gloves, following him and a pair of nurses toward the ambulance bay.

"A teacher was stabbed, looks like at least two times. She already flat lined in the ambulance…"

"What school?" Laura asked, a pit forming in the center of her stomach.

"Golden Gate High School," McHale replied as they went through the automatic doors and into the chilly San Francisco afternoon. Wind tore through their thin, baby blue scrubs, and a few loose pieces of Laura's hair flew out from behind her ear. Adrenaline was already burning through her veins as the familiar sensation of fear and uneasiness hit her – something just didn't feel right.

The ambulance could be heard from down the street and in an instant blue and red lights swerved to the front of the hospital and stopped in front of them. Two paramedics shot out of the ambulance, helping McHale open the doors in the back. "She coded in the ambulance, we have a pulse back," one the medics told him.

When the gurney was pulled down from the vehicle, Laura's mouth dropped. "Melinda," she choked. She could hardly move to take a stand by the stretcher where McHale, Elizabeth, and the two paramedics were already. "Oh my God…"

"Halliwell, what's the matter?" McHale asked as the team started pushing the gurney into the hospital. Laura managed to put a hand on one of the rails and keep up with the moving stretcher.

"It's my cousin…"

"Elizabeth call Dr. Harris…"

"No, I can do it," Laura insisted, cutting him off. It was not advisable to have doctors working on family members but she would be damned if she left her cousin's side. Melinda was soaked in blood, unconscious on the stretcher as they nearly ran down the hall. She stared down at her. "Melinda? Melinda can you hear me?"

"Airway looks clear," McHale said as they slowed into an empty exam room. "How long was she lying there? How much blood did she lose?"

"At least a couple of liters," the paramedic answered. "We started a transfusion on the way over."

"Here, help me roll her," McHale said to Laura. She held her cousin's neck steady as her superior held her side. "Stab wounds to the lower back, right flank. First is 3 centimeters from the midline, second is 4 centimeters…"

"Did it hit the spinal cord?" Laura asked as they put her back down. The room was a chaotic blur of noises coming from the machines. More personnel entered the room, including Laura's colleague Dr. Eli Harris and two nurses.

"Too soon to tell," McHale replied. "Get surgery down here."

"Come on Mel. Open your eyes Mel," Laura muttered as she worked, connecting another bag of fluid to the IV. In most cases she'd be inconsolable to have a family member in such critical condition but now she was forced to keep her demeanor and calm, helping in the best possible way she could. It broke her to witness Melinda in such dire condition. Blood continued to spill from the wounds at her back and stabilizing her was difficult but Laura refused to let herself think of the worst possibilities.

"Left pupil responding to stimuli," Dr. Harris said as he shined a light into Melinda's eyes. He glanced at Laura. The two had a close understanding after their experience during the epidemic. He could see the panic in her eyes. "Halliwell, you okay?"

"I'm fine," Laura nodded stubbornly as she placed an oxygen mask over Melinda's mouth.

"Where the hell is surgery? She needs to go up now," McHale barked at another nurse. "Get an ET tube…"

Melinda suddenly jerked on the gurney as if tossing in her sleep and in a fast instant her bleary brown eyes flashed open. Confusion first struck her but she quickly settled her focus on her older cousin. "Laura?" she stammered breathlessly.

"I'm right here, you're okay," Laura told her calmly, quickly stopping her work and tending to Melinda. She brushed down some of her tangled brown hair. "Do you know where you are?"

"What happened?" Melinda asked weakly. She was disoriented, her eyes moving quickly to examine her surroundings. Loud beeps and noises wailed from the monitors in the small, sterile room and people moved quickly, poking and prodding in panic, speaking in terminology she couldn't decipher. Her body trembled from shock, her lungs burned, and she felt cold on the sheets as she stared up at the white ceiling and her cousin's gentle face.

"You were stabbed. You're at San Francisco Memorial Hospital now. We're taking care of you," Laura said. "Everything is going to be okay…"

"It was a demon," Melinda wheezed as the memory hit her. Her breaths were short and desperate. Laura stayed at her side, her empathetic eyes not deterring from her cousin for a second. "He said it was because of Jack. I'm sorry Laura, I didn't-didn't know…I…"

"Shhh, it's okay sweetie, just rest, we're going to take care of you," Laura said, doing her best to calm her. Scared tears peeled from the young woman's eyes, melting Laura's heart and shaking her to the core.

"Someone get the infuser set up," Harris barked.

A debilitating pain quickly shot through Melinda's body, forcing a groan from her lips. "My back," she croaked in agony.

"It's okay, it's okay," Laura tried to soothe but the sound of such pain made her stomach shrivel.

Finally bursting through the doors behind them and entering in a hurry was Dr. James Clement. "What the hell took you so long?" McHale asked him.

"I was stuck on another consult," James rolled his eyes as he put on a new pair of gloves. "What do we have?"

"Twenty-four year old female, two stab wounds to the lower right quadrant, missed the spinal cord. We pumped one unit in and she just regained consciousness," McHale informed the young surgeon quickly.

"It's my cousin, James," Laura added gently. He paused, his gray-blue eyes meeting hers with sympathy.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I will be," she said.

Melinda groaned again beneath them, slipping in and out of consciousness, fighting to keep her eyes open. Laura kept a hold on her hand while James consulted McHale and Harris. The monitor behind them let out a harsh squeal and suddenly all was frantic in the room again. "Is she stable enough for transport up to the OR?" Harris asked.

"She's going to have to be," James said. "Elizabeth, call upstairs, tell them we're redlining her."

Laura helped to snap up one of the railings on the bed, quickly wheeling the gurney out. Melinda dosed, her brown eyes glazed and distant. "Melinda, you stay awake, you hear me? I need you to keep your eyes open," Laura advised, desperately speaking to her cousin as they rushed for the elevator. "Stay awake, Melinda. Everything's going to be okay."

"Melinda, it's James. You remember me? I need you to stay with me, okay?" James said from the other side of the bed. By the time they reached the elevator, Laura was trembling. Her cousin's blood covered her scrubs and now as she prepared to leave her in someone else's care, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. James reached across the gurney and grabbed her hand into his own. "I'm going to take care of her. It'll be okay."

Laura gave a nod, swallowing down the lump in her throat as the elevator doors slid open. She gave Melinda's hand one last squeeze. Her tired chocolate eyes found Laura's. "You hang on, Melinda. Promise me you'll hang on," she said. She pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you."

After helping the gurney into the elevator, James drew back for a pause. "Thank you," Laura whispered to him.

"I love you," he said gently. He kissed her cheek. "We'll get through this."

Laura nodded, trying to blink back the tears building in her eyes. She watched as he stepped back into the elevator, taking a side by the gurney. "Stay with me, Melinda," he said before the doors slid closed.

With a heavy inhale Laura took a step back, running a hand through her hair. She stared down at the scarlet stains on her shirt and fought back the urge to be sick. It was one thing to face demons. It was another to have them cross over into her work, to stab her innocent cousin at a public school. As she regained her fortitude and the steadiness of her legs, a heavy feeling hit her.

Her family's fight just became more personal.

* * *

_An update! Hope some readers are still with me. As always, I really want to know what you think and what you like, so please leave a review! It's always encouraging and makes me write faster when I know people are reading, so drop me a note and let me know you are! Thanks ~ Sammy_


	34. Good Times Gonna Come : Segment 4

Leo Wyatt could no longer feel the beating of his heart. He could hear nothing but ringing in his ears nor depend on the strength of his legs. The dreaded feeling of helplessness, mystery, and loss circled tightly around his stomach and pounded his head. Since he received the call about Melinda he'd been unable to breathe, to think, or speak. He regretted not taking the call sooner at the clinic but it was of little use now. Now all he could think of was the health of his only daughter.

"We're here for Melinda Halliwell," Piper blurted as soon as they were through the doors of the hospital. Leo was at her side as she frantically approached the front desk. Wyatt and Chris were close behind them, faces blank and remorseful. "Can someone tell us where she is? If she's okay?"

Piper brimmed with impatience and rage – her go to defense when fear overcame her. Leo put a gentle hand on her arm and took over speaking to the nurse who helped them. "We're her parents, Leo Wyatt and Piper Halliwell. We got a call that she was brought here about an hour ago."

"It looks like she's still in surgery. I'll be sure to get the doctors who worked on her in the ER to come and talk to you," the nurse said. As the young woman went off to fetch information, Chris quickly caught sight of his cousin, bringing a pause of relief.

"Laura," he called and in an instant the foursome met the doctor.

"How is she? Did you work on her?" Piper asked, her cheeks colorless and eyes already red as they held back tears.

"Yeah, I did," Laura nodded. She pulled in a slow breath, "Let's go sit down."

"We would have come sooner but we all had our phones off when we were at Kate's family day," Leo said as they found empty places in a family seating area.

"What happened?" Wyatt asked.

"She was stabbed," Laura replied. Piper instantly gasped and sniffled. Leo wrapped an arm around his wife, who trembled at the news. Chris and Wyatt instantly shuddered. "I was here when she came in. There were two wounds to her lower back. We were able to stabilize her before she went into surgery. The good news is it looks like nothing hit her spinal cord."

"Is she going to be okay? What are her chances?" Piper asked.

"They're good. She's young and strong," Laura said, forcing herself to be positive. If they'd only seen Melinda in the state she had they would not be so optimistic. Of course, she wasn't lying. Her cousin had as good a chance as anyone of pulling through. "She's in good hands. James is helping perform her surgery."

"But how did this happen? Was she attacked?" Chris asked, biting on his thumb nail with arms folded across his chest. Not only was he terrified at the prospect of his sister in critical condition but the thought of someone deliberately hurting her made him tense with rage.

"All I know was that it happened in her classroom. She gained consciousness momentarily before moving to the OR. She told me it was a demon," Laura revealed uneasily. She knew as soon as she told her cousins the truth they'd be sent into revenge mode.

"But why her?" Wyatt asked. He was usually level-headed and calm in such situations but when it came to his younger sister and mother his attitude was much different. He wanted to destroy anyone who thought of harming them.

Laura shook her head. She thought of revealing Melinda's comment about Jack but decided it wasn't the time. There'd be plenty of opportunities to pursue the questionable reporter. The last thing her aunt and uncle needed was their sons avenging their sister in haste.

"I can think of a reason why," Chris muttered, clenching his fists.

"Where's everyone else?" Laura asked, attempting to change the subject.

"They're behind us, driving our car back. They should be here soon," Leo said, still keeping a safe arm around Piper. "When do you think she'll be out of surgery?"

"Within the next hour," Laura replied. Blood, her cousin's blood, was still splattered on her scrub shirt and her sunken auburn eyes revealed how draining the event had been.

Piper carefully grabbed her niece's hand. "Thank you for taking care of her," she whispered gently.

Laura forced a sad smile. "I did my best," she told her. She gave Piper's hand a squeeze and patted her uncle's shoulder. "She's going to be okay."

Chris pulled in a deep breath, running his hands down his face. The waiting and uncertainty made him sick. He hated being unable to do anything, to have no place to help. Suddenly all that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours meant little. He regretted their fight at the manor that morning and as the possibility of losing his sister lingered, everything quickly felt small.

Next to him Wyatt was silent, chewing on his lower lip in sadness. It wasn't until he caught sight of a face across the hall did his entire form tense. He nearly growled. "What the hell is he doing here?"

Laura's stomach instantly fell as what she initially feared was realized. She glanced up in time to find Jack Mason, bashfully crossing towards the lobby with hands in his pockets. "I called him here," she revealed.

"You what?" Chris snapped. Both boys were on their feet and Laura quickly flew to her own in order to stop them. "Why would you do that? He's probably the reason Melinda is here in the first place!"

"Listen, no one else was answering their phone. And whatever you all may think of him, he's still dating Melinda and cares about her. Besides, he may have some insight into what happened…" Laura was cut off by a fuming Wyatt.

"I'll kill him…"

"This isn't going to help your sister," Leo warned. Piper was too tired and shocked to deal with her sons.

Wyatt and Chris stared Jack down as the reporter met the family in the lobby. "Hey," he greeted gently.

"You're not welcome here," Chris said.

"I'm as upset about what happened as you are," Jack told him. He was completely beside himself with grief. "I'm sorry for what happened and if there's any way I can help…"

"How about we start with you staying away from her," Wyatt said. "We know full well who you are."

"I never hurt her…"

"You used her to get close to our family!" Chris shouted.

"Chris, calm down," Laura advised, glancing at hospital security that now took notice of the group.

"I love her," Jack told them.

"If you love her, you'll stay away from her," Wyatt warned.

Suddenly thundering in behind them was the rest of the Halliwells. Phoebe, Sam, Lila, Lucy, and Joey entered the hospital streaked with anxiety. The chaos and anger from earlier was long gone and they joined the lobby with only concern and unity. "How is she?" Phoebe asked, swiftly taking a seat on Piper's other side. Her older sister shook her head and shrugged and Phoebe quickly looked up at her daughter. "Laura?"

"She's still in surgery," she answered, anxiously glancing away from Chris, Wyatt, and Jack who still stood tense.

"What happened? Do we know yet?" Lila asked.

"She was attacked by demons," Chris growled, emerald eyes set on Jack.

"In a school. In a public place where there are innocents and children…" Wyatt added coldly.

"I had nothing to do with this," Jack hissed.

"How are we supposed to trust you? You're a demon. You lied to her for two months!" Wyatt barked.

"Wyatt," Phoebe stopped her nephew. "Now isn't the time…"

"Melinda could be dying right now. I'm not going to let him off the hook until he tells us everything that happened," Chris said.

"I don't know what happened!" Jack shouted.

"Bullshit!" Wyatt said, shoving the man's chest in furry.

"Stop it!" Sam interjected, stepping between them. She placed a hand on both Jack and Wyatt's chests. "This isn't doing Melinda any good."

"I want him to tell us. Tell us who the hell you are. You owe her that much," Wyatt replied, breathing heavily. His hazel eyes were dark as he glared into Jack's baby blues. The rest of the family watched, holding their breath as they awaited the confession.

Jack swallowed hard, trying to recollect himself. He was in a hopeless place. His confession would get him nowhere but for now it would buy him time. "My name is Delezar. I'm the son of Aliah, the current Queen of the Underworld, and Belthazor, better known as Cole Turner…"

Phoebe, Piper, and Leo exchanged looks at the mention of Cole. The sudden feeling that history was repeating itself overtook them. Phoebe's heart clenched as she took a second look at Jack Mason. She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. The dark hair, sweet cerulean eyes, and jawline were unmistakable. He was a young, clean, lost version of the Cole Turner she'd once loved. And now he'd been taken by her niece. She couldn't decide whether she was sympathetic for the young man or desired to kill him.

"I was the Head of the Brotherhood of Thorn – a position I gave up to be with Melinda," Jack told them.

"The Brotherhood killed Paige," Wyatt hissed.

Sam's neutral stance toward her colleague suddenly changed. She took the hand off his chest. Joey now also took a step closer, his brown eyes weak and broken. "You killed her?" Sam asked.

"I didn't kill her," Jack replied. "I was under orders to but I wasn't the one who did it. Those were Malum's men – my men. But I didn't kill your mother. Just like when I had the chance to kill Kate that night in the Underworld, I didn't. And when I was ordered to kill Melinda, I didn't…"

"You are still responsible!" Chris shouted. "You're still the enemy."

Phoebe quickly stood. "Jack, I think it'd be best if you left now…"

"I'm not leaving her," he replied.

"You have no right to be here," Wyatt said.

"I love her!"

"You may not have been the one to kill Paige or hurt this family but you lied and you still have blood on your hands," Chris told him, inching closer to Jack's face. His green eyes filled with hatred and his shoulders were back, prepared for battle.

"I have no control over who I am any more than you do. The only choice I made was to not hurt Melinda or follow through with my duty," Jack challenged. "I've given up more than any of you ever have."

"That doesn't negate your intentions or that you took advantage of Melinda," Wyatt replied.

"This is your last warning. You're not welcome. Get out," Chris said coldly.

"Okay, how about we just separate. Jack, I can take you to the cafeteria and you can wait for word of Melinda there…" Laura suggested. Neither party responded to her offer.

Instead Jack grew with rage himself. He'd tried rationality and feeling but neither was getting him anywhere. The Hawlliwells were leaving him no choice. "I'm warning you – back off," he growled at Chris. "I don't want to fight."

"You already started a fight," Wyatt told him.

"Don't do this; not here," Leo pleaded.

"Don't be stupid," Lucy added, arms folded across her chest.

"Leave," Chris said one last time.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jack replied, nudging Chris out of his space.

At the light shove, Chris quickly took it as a challenge to fight. Already enraged and sparked into battle, he quickly slammed a fist across Jack's face, knocking the man's head back and causing him to stumble a few steps.

"Chris!" Lila exclaimed in shock.

Jack already snapped his head back into place and easily punched Chris in the mouth. The Halliwell son was caught off guard by the strike and Jack pushed him back with a forceful shove. Chris was sent to the floor, landing on his back. "Jack stop!" Sam screamed.

Before anyone could move to restrain him, Wyatt charged without a second thought, tackling Jack to the floor. Joey quickly moved to pull his cousin off of Jack but it was of little use. Wyatt threw a pair of punches to Jack's jaw and eye. Hospital security quickly scrambled for the family which was drawing the attention of others in the emergency room. Chris recovered from his fall and jumped up to his feet, only to be held back by Lila and Leo.

"Get off me!" Jack barked, doing his best to squirm under Wyatt's strength.

"I should kill you right here!" Wyatt shouted.

Two security guards pulled at Wyatt's arms but it hardly bothered the powerful witch. It wasn't until the equally powerful prince of darkness gave a low grunt and nearly threw Wyatt from his form did Jack find himself free. The security guards were knocked off their feet by the strength of Jack's throw, sending Wyatt crashing into a pair of lobby chairs. Jack chased after him, easily bursting past Sam and Lucy until he reached Wyatt, punching him in the jaw before he was grabbed by Laura and Phoebe.

"Let go of me! Let me get him!" Chris shouted as Leo, Lila, and Sam blocked his path. Jack's arms were forced back by Laura and Phoebe and before Wyatt could lunge after him two security guards held him in place.

"Screw you!" Wyatt growled at Jack.

"You didn't leave me a choice!" Jack shouted.

"We should kill you!" Chris snarled.

"Stop!" Phoebe yelled at the feuding men. "This is neither the time nor place. If any of you care about Melinda, this will stop here."

"We're going to have to escort you all out," one of the security guards said.

"What? No!" Chris protested.

"Roger, this is my family," Laura spoke up. "How about we just let everyone cool down?"

"It's policy," Roger replied.

"Please?" Laura asked. "Chris and Wyatt can take a step outside and I'll stitch up Jack's cut. I promise there won't be any more problems."

"If there are, it's on you," the security guard decided hesitantly.

As the two men shuffled away, Chris and Wyatt kept heavy glares on Jack. Leo cleared his throat. "Boys, go…"

"Dad…"

"Go, now," Leo said coldly. "We'll get you when she's back from surgery."

Chris bitterly yanked his arm from Lila's grasp, setting a last look at Jack. "This isn't over," he warned. Wyatt followed after his brother, purposely bumping into Jack on his way out.

"Should one of us make sure they don't kill each other?" Joey asked.

"No," Leo muttered. "Believe it or not, this may have been good for them."

"I'm sorry for that," Jack apologized, straightening his rumpled shirt. His bottom lip was split and swollen. A small, deep cut marked his forehead and his right eye was already showing a bruise. "I'm sorry for everything…"

The Halliwells were silent, still recovering from the scene. Finally Laura cleared her throat. "Come on, I'll take care of the gash for you," she said.

"No, it's all right," Jack replied.

"It needs stitches," Laura told him. She glanced back to the rest of the family. "Get us if there's any word on Mel."

* * *

A light rain fell from the overcast clouds. Fog rolled in from the Bay despite the early evening hour. Chris dug his hand into his pockets, ignoring the throb of his right hand. He gazed blankly out at the hospital parking lot, watching as an ambulance swerved along the curb.

"Here."

Chris looked up to find Wyatt standing over him, offering a frozen pack of ice. "Thanks," he said, slowly taking it. He carefully pressed pack to his mouth, continuing in silence as Wyatt took a seat next to him. Chris slowly glanced over and hesitantly cleared his throat. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just bruised up my hand a little," Wyatt answered. He kept an icepack of his own over his right knuckles, bashfully staring down at the pavement. "How's your lip?"

"I'll be okay," he said. Remorse fell over the two brothers. They sat like two young boys in timeout, left to shame and alienation. The rage that warmed them earlier was now replaced by sadness and guilt. Chris gave a slow sigh. "Thanks for having my back in there."

Wyatt gingerly glanced up. "Of course," he replied. A gentle breeze tangled with their hair. One of Chris' chestnut locks pressed against his forehead. The pair gazed forward, shoulders slumped, twiddling their thumbs.

"Wyatt, I'm sorry," Chris said first. He squinted his eyes against the wind and bowed his head. "I'm sorry for this morning. I'm sorry for what happened earlier today."

"I'm sorry too," Wyatt apologized.

Chris shook his head. "I reacted poorly," he muttered sadly. "I guess I've been doing a lot of that lately."

"I never wanted to lie to you," Wyatt frowned. "I always wanted to be honest. I guess I was afraid of putting distance between us or disappointing you. I never wanted things between us to be different. You're my best friend, Chris."

His younger brother's eyes met his for the first time. "Wyatt, you could never disappoint me. You're my brother and you're my best friend too," he replied genuinely. "I'm not upset you're gay. I mean, it'll take some getting used to, but it doesn't change things between us."

"That's nice to hear," Wyatt smirked. He shook his head. "I'm sorry about being so judgmental about Bianca. I know you wouldn't do anything to put the family in danger."

"It's all right," Chris said. He sighed as he rested his head back on the hospital wall behind them. For a pause he closed his eyes, allowing the cold air to refresh his face.

"You okay?" Wyatt asked.

Chis shook his head. "No, not really," he chuckled. His chest felt heavy and the irritating pound of his head continued. "Do you ever feel like everything is happening to fast?"

"All the time," Wyatt sighed.

"Ever since aunt Paige died it's all been so different," Chris said. He swallowed past a lump in his throat. "I thought I could handle it. I thought I could rationalize it all but it's still too much sometimes. I feel so much pressure. And I've turned into this guy who lashes out and snaps at the smallest things and is hypocritical when it's convenient and bossy just to hide how terrified I am."

Wyatt frowned with sympathy at his brother's honesty. For the last month he could see how much the stress was wearing down on Chris but he had no idea it was to such an extent. His brother did such a successful job of hiding his emotions that at times Wyatt was only left to guess what was going on with him. As they'd grown older he knew it was better to let Chris come to him on his own. And now more than ever he was glad he had.

"It's okay to be overwhelmed sometimes," Wyatt told him softly. "But you have to remember Chris; the weight of the world isn't on you. We're a family. We're here to help each other. I think sometimes you're giving to a fault but you can't do it all."

"But I'm scared Wyatt," Chris said honestly. His emerald eyes were soft and nearly tearful. He looked like a small boy, huddled and lost. Wyatt placed a large hand on his brother's shoulder.

"We all are," he replied. "But it's going to be okay. I can promise you that."

"No you can't," Chris shook his head. "I lose sleep just thinking about all the things that could go wrong."

"You can think about them all you want and worry yourself sick but it's not going to stop any of the bad things," Wyatt said. "I mean, why do you think I try to stay so optimistic? It would drive me crazy to consider all the possibilities and all the evil that's out there. Worrying doesn't do anything. Tragedy and hardship happen when we least expect it. There's only so much you can do to prepare. The rest is all chance."

"Like today," Chris sniffled. He pressed his head into his hands. "Wy, if anything happens to her…"

"Don't talk like that," he sighed. He wrapped an arm around his brother. "She'll be okay. She has to be okay…"

The two quickly fell into a hug, squeezing each other tightly, holding on for desperate solitude and comfort. The familiar air of boyhood and companionship – one that had been lost for the last month – existed between them once more. Chris squeezed his eyes shut and released a long breath, allowing himself to feel at ease and vulnerable and most of all safe. Though they were only a year apart, Wyatt was still his older brother and often times provided the steadiness and wisdom Chris' secretly depended on. It was healing to rely on it once more.

After a few quiet sniffles the two released. "Are we going to be okay?" Chris asked.

"We're fine," Wyatt assured with an assuring glint in his eye. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied. "But no more secrets."

"No more secrets…" Wyatt murmured only to find himself confirm the statement with uncertainty. Chris' brow fell as he quickly recognized the subtle hitch in his brother's voice.

"What is it?"

Wyatt shook his head, a pit hardening in his stomach. He wanted nothing more than to unburden himself with the news of Piper's cancer but he also couldn't stand to hurt his brother anymore that day. He shook his head, swallowing hard. "It's not my place to tell…"

"Wyatt, don't do this. Just tell me," Chris said.

"It's about mom," Wyatt replied gently. He stared down at his hands. "She's going to want to tell you on her own…"

"Is she okay?" Chris asked, his heart racing beneath his chest. Something deep down already told him it was all wrong. He'd noticed odd behavior from his mother for the past few weeks. Aside from Leo, Chris was particularly sensitive and observant to all of Piper's moods and actions. He was his mother's son. For that he couldn't find comfort. "Wyatt?"

Another strong hold stifled Wyatt's throat. Emotion built more quickly than he thought it would and he refused to find his brother's eyes. "She's sick," he whispered just loud enough for Chris to hear.

"Sick? What do you mean sick? With what? Is it serious?" Chris rambled. He was already shaken and he had to focus on breathing.

"Cancer," Wyatt said, his voice cracking. A tear fell down his cheek and Chris' mouth dropped in horror.

"No," he shook his head. "She can't."

"She told me this morning. She was going to tell you but with all that's happened…" Wyatt's voice trailed off as the bad news continued to sink in for both brothers.

"Is it treatable?" Chris asked distantly.

"She's stage four. I guess that means its spread but she said there's treatment," he answered. Wyatt hastily wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you like this but…"

"No; thank you. I'm glad you did," Chris said.

"You okay?" Wyatt asked. He expected his brother to burst into tears or lash out with anger or at least show some kind of emotion. Instead Chris was blank and empty.

"It's just sinking in," he replied weakly. Chris was clearly beside himself and Wyatt regretted being unable to comfort him.

"We'll get through this. All five of us," he assured. "Okay?"

Chris nodded. "I can't believe it would all happen like this…"

"When it rains it pours I suppose," Wyatt sighed as the two gazed out at the wet San Francisco streets. He ran a hand down his face. "I know this sounds insensitive, but now probably isn't the best time to talk to mom about…"

"I won't," Chris nodded in understanding. For another beat the two remained seated, numb and caught up in their own thoughts and emotions. Too much now weighed them both down, preventing them from moving or talking any more. Melinda and Piper's health – the two most important people in both their lives – was in peril and suddenly with no way to intervene, they were left to wait and brood and hope.

A pair of heels clicked behind them, capturing both their attention at once. Bianca Lawrence crossed the hospital parking lot to meet them, sympathy etched into her usually cold face. "Hey," she greeted gently.

"Hey," Chris managed back.

"I heard about what happened," Bianca frowned.

"Are you on the case?" Wyatt asked. He had to bite his tongue in order to appear cordial and hope that it didn't appear too forced.

Bianca nodded as she placed a hand on Chris' shoulder. "Are you guys all right?"

"Trying to be," Chris smirked.

"What are you doing out here?" Bianca asked.

"That's a long story," Wyatt nearly chuckled. He rose from his seat, taking his icepack with him. "I'll leave you two to catch up."

Chris gave a weak smile as his brother moved to leave. "Can you get me when she's out of surgery?"

"Of course," he nodded. He gave his brother a pat on the back. "You had a nice right hook today."

"Not bad yourself," Chris teased. He watched until his brother was gone. New tension washed over him with Piper's illness but he was also overcome with long sought relief. They may have been facing more than seemed manageable but at least now they had each other.

* * *

Jack Mason watched with palpable paranoia as Laura prepared a needle and slipped on a new pair of gloves. "I'm not going to kill you," she said.

He swallowed hard. Jack sat on the edge of a small operating table, a bright light glaring down at his beaten face. "Why are you helping me?" he asked.

"Because I love Melinda and this is what she would want me to do," Laura replied. She carefully cleaned the area on Jack's forehead and he winced slightly. "But since I am doing you a favor as well, maybe you could answer some of my questions…"

"Like what?" Jack asked.

"Well you were in close contact with the Source. I'm sure you have some insight that we don't," Laura told him. She picked up the sterile needle and inserted it at the edge of Jack's gash, starting on the first stitch.

"What do you want to know?"

"For starters Melinda mentioned that you were the reason she was attacked," Laura answered coldly. "You're welcome for not telling her brothers by the way."

"It didn't saved me from an ass kicking," Jack grumbled. "My mother and Malum believed that Melinda was getting in the way of my duty to bring you and your sisters down. I suppose it was just a matter of time until someone was sent to get her out of the way. I should have protected her…"

Laura pulled on the needle as she sewed through the first part of his cut. Jack tried to keep himself from crying out. Dr. Halliwell had conveniently forgotten to give him any numbing or pain medication. "Did you know she was going to be attacked?"

"Of course not," Jack nearly exclaimed. "Malum tried sending my mother to do the job on Valentine's Day. That's when I turned my back on them…"

"Stay still," Laura advised. Her auburn eyes twinkled for a brief moment. "So you really did give it up for her?"

"Well, I tried," he murmured in defeat. His cerulean gaze fell. "I'm coming to think there really isn't a choice for us. We can try to shake it but we still are tied to our destinies. I'm still a demon even if I reject it. Just like you're a Charmed One whether you want to be or not. It's like we have no choice over what we do or who we get to love or what side we get to fight for."

Goosebumps rolled up Laura's arms at Jack's words. It was as if he'd read the thoughts from her head and spoken to her own heart. Quite suddenly the man she was supposed to be despising was appearing trustworthy, relatable, and perhaps even more similar to herself than she could ever imagine. She could suddenly see why Melinda had fallen for him in the first place.

But she couldn't let on that she understood. The day could very well be approaching when she was forced to kill Jack Mason by no choice of her own. For now there would be a secret understanding of which only she was aware of. "All done," Laura announced.

"Thank you," Jack said gently.

"Just be sure to change the dressing a few times in the next two days. If you come in next week I can take those out for you," she replied.

"I suppose that means I'll still be alive next week?" Jack asked as she finished cleaning up the stitching supplies. He watched her in trepidation.

"You should keep this on your eye," Laura told him without addressing his inquiry. Jack obeyed, slowly putting the icepack she handed him onto his left eye. It was already turning a blotchy purple and black hue and was tender to the touch.

"You think she's going to be okay?" Jack asked sadly.

"I do," Laura nodded. The news however didn't appear to make his mood any lighter. In fact, if anything he was suddenly overcome with deeper sadness. Laura was doing her best to stay emotionally distant but her defenses were becoming worn. "She'll forgive you, Jack. I know she will."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter even if she does," he muttered. "I have to break up with her. It's the only way to keep her safe. To stop hurting her. I already put her in danger and betrayed her. The best thing I can do is leave her alone and let her move on…"

"You think that's what's best for her?" Laura asked.

"Don't you?" Jack asked.

"I thought I knew," she said gently. "But I suppose I don't…"

Jack shook his head. "I keep thinking of my father. And I guess your mother. It never worked for them, did it? He only hurt her."

"She doesn't talk about it much," Laura replied. "But from what I gather it was painful for both of them."

"Well, I can't continue to do that to Melinda. I can't be my father. I have to do better by her," he sighed.

"I think you already are," Laura murmured. She gathered his chart and gave him a hesitant pat on the shoulder. "Come on, she should be getting out of surgery soon."

* * *

As six o'clock approached and darkness slowly crept into the San Francisco skyline, the Halliwells remained stationary in their places of waiting. The family took up most of the space in the waiting room, now casually lounging among the chairs and nursing bland coffee. Piper and Leo were huddled close together, leaning on each other for comfort. No one bothered them except for Phoebe who did her best to provide the couple with moral support.

Sam and Lila sat near each other on one row of chairs while Lucy and Joey played tic tack toe at the table to keep busy. Laura and Wyatt joined the group soon and rather than take an unwelcome seat, Jack took to pacing as they waited.

After nearly two hours of tension, James finally arrived, still in scrubs from surgery. Piper and Leo quickly got to their feet and Laura joined her colleague. "How is she?" Leo asked.

"She's okay," James answered, not wanting to prolong the news any longer.

"Thank God," Piper sighed, burying her face into Leo's chest. The rest of the family sighed in relief behind them. Jack was finally able to stop his pacing and took a seat, burying his head into his hands.

"She lost a lot of blood and there were a few touch and go moments in the OR but it looks like she'll make a full recovery. It will be a long road but she's going to be okay," James shared.

"No spinal cord injury?" Laura asked.

"No," he confirmed. "But she will need some physical therapy to regain motor strength. She's young and strong and very lucky."

"Thank you for performing her surgery," Leo said shaking James' hand.

"No need to thank me. You're basically family," he replied with a gentle smile, briefly setting eyes on Laura.

"Can we see her?" Piper asked.

"Of course," James answered. He glanced at the large group settled in the lobby. "But maybe just you and Leo for now. She really shouldn't be having a lot of visitors yet."

"Tell her we love her," Phoebe said.

"Come on, I'll show you back," Laura told her aunt and uncle. Not long after the foursome departed, Chris and Bianca arrived on the scene.

"Is she okay?" Chris asked the family.

"She's going to make a full recovery," Sam told him.

"Mom and dad just went back to see her," Wyatt said.

The family stared at Bianca with unease, trying their best to refrain from the impulse to be unwelcoming. "Are you here to interrogate us?" Lucy asked the detective, unconcerned with being polite. "Because we all have an alibi this time. We were at a rehab facility screaming at each other…"

"Lou," Joey cut her off with a nudge to her shoulder.

"No, I'm just here to get Melinda's statement about what happened," Bianca replied. "No accusations or interrogations."

"What? Was it a slow day at the police department or did you finagle your way onto the case?" Jack spoke up. Bianca's mouth nearly dropped as she realized Delezar was present.

"I think I could come to like this guy," Lucy whispered in Joey's ear.

"I'm sorry, and you are?" Bianca asked, giving Jack a sharp glare.

"No one important," Chris replied coldly.

"That's what I thought," she muttered, flicking the demon another nasty look. She kissed Chris on the cheek. "I'm going to get coffee, do you want anything?"

"Just straight black if you could," he said.

Jack watched as Bianca skirted off, his jaw clenched and fists in tight balls. He allowed a few moments to pass and as the family lost track of his presence, he quickly rose from his seat and followed after the Phoenix witch.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked her, taking a stand by the coffee cart.

"My job," Bianca hissed. "And if you blow my cover I have no problem taking you out. In fact, I think Malum would appreciate the favor."

"I could care less about your tryst with Chris but you stay away from Melinda," Jack growled.

"Please, like I would waste my time on her," she replied rolling her eyes. "She's the least threatening of all the Halliwells. The only reason she was targeted in the first place is because of you…"

"Shut up," he snapped bitterly. "I don't see how what you're doing is any different…"

"The difference is that I'll follow through with my assignment. I won't need someone else to come clean up after me," Bianca said as she finished pouring coffee into one of the Styrofoam cups.

"If you think because you do Malum's dirty work that you're safe, you're wrong," Jack warned.

"You're the last person I'll be taking advice from," she muttered. She went to move but Jack quickly blocked her path. "Excuse me…"

"Were you the one who did this to her?" he asked lowly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Bianca hissed.

"It's not ridiculous. You killed Salt. I know Malum wouldn't hesitate to have you kill Melinda," Jack said, growing more heated. "Besides, isn't an athame your weapon of choice?"

"I didn't do it," she replied seriously. "I know better than to put my duty in jeopardy…"

"If I find out you had anything to do with this, I'll kill you without a second thought," Jack glared.

"And if you ruin my cover, I'll kill you without even asking for a bounty from Malum," Bianca spat. "Now stay away from me."

Jack's jaw was tight and his face red with rage as she whisked by. He kept his temper in check with a long breath and slowly followed after her.

The two took no notice of Chris who leaned against the wall behind them. His legs were weak and his head spun. He could hardly fathom what he heard. And in an instant his bad day suddenly became much worse.

* * *

_Thanks so much for the reviews last chapter! Your comments are so encouraging and as you can see, really help keep the creative process moving. As far as the content of this chapter goes, there's so much going on and so many characters I want to catch up with, but such little frame to craft it! I know sometimes it seems like I leave characters out but they all get their turn eventually ;) with that in mind though , I love to know what readers enjoy most and who/what is working. Thank you for reading and for the feedback - please keep it coming! ~ Sammy_


	35. End of Episode Seven

In a cloud of grogginess Melinda Halliwell blinked open her eyes, immediately overcome with confusion. Her brown gaze set on a blank white ceiling before she glanced around, realizing she was in a hospital bed. "We're right here, honey. You're okay," Piper's voice broke through her daughter's jumbled head and she rested a light hand on Melinda's shoulder.

"What happened?" Melinda croaked, raspy and weak from sleep.

"You were attacked," Leo answered sadly. His light eyes were broken and nearly teary as he kept a gaze on his youngest. Seeing his little girl hurt and helpless made everything in him crumble. "You just came out of surgery."

"I remember," Melinda replied softly. Piper grabbed onto her daughter's hand, her chocolate eyes glossy. "I'm sorry for scaring you…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Leo told her.

Melinda's chest threatened to quake with emotion as she quickly recounted all that happened. A lump moved in her throat and the tender eyes of her mother made it nearly impossible to hold back the tears. "I was so scared," she whispered. Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat to remain calm. "I thought for sure that I was going to…"

"Shhhhh," Piper soothed, easily wrapping her daughter into an embrace. It was a difficult maneuver with Melinda still fragile after surgery but she managed to hold her in her arms, allowing her daughter to bury her face into her chest. Leo lovingly watched the two, keeping a hand on both of them.

Piper's heart broke with Melinda's pain. At times the young girl reminded her so much of herself that it hurt. Melinda embodied so much of who Piper was before Prue's death. Her early twenties were a time of fear and uncertainty and delicateness as she learned to accept her destiny. Though Melinda was born a witch, she was much more distant from her Wiccan lineage than her brothers and many of her cousins.

Much of that was due in part because she wielded far less power but also because Piper often encouraged the pursuit of a "normal" human life with her only daughter. Unlike her brothers who'd seen demons and were made tough and durable from an early age because of the chaos in their younger years, Melinda was raised without the same turmoil and therefore made a softer, more hesitant witch. It was a quality Piper loved about her, but in a moment like this it made her second guess if she should have made her stronger. She pondered whether should have forced the Halliwell tenacity necessary to survive.

Of course, as she considered it further, the notion was a futile one. Melinda would find her own way. She was strong in her own right and Piper couldn't spend her days coddling her. And whether it was just or not, the drama of the attack would surely instill a new sense of defensive, strength in the witch.

"I kept thinking of you. And of Wyatt and Chris," Melinda sniffled as she regained control of her tears. Piper tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I felt so bad about everything that happened this morning. I didn't want it to end that way."

"It's okay now," Leo said. "Everyone is here. I know the boys want nothing more than to see you."

Melinda gave a meek smile and nod. More than anything she longed to apologize to her brothers for what transpired that morning. Perspective was perhaps the only positive that came from the terrifying attack.

"Honey, I know now probably isn't the time to talk about this," Piper started uneasily, "but Jack is here. He told us who he is…"

"A demon," Melinda muttered. More tears threatened to come but instead she held her lower lip steady and swallowed down the emotion. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to think that it was true…"

"You couldn't have known, sweetheart," Leo told her gently

"But deep down I did," she said. "I still can't bring myself to believe that he could be evil."

"If it's any comfort, I do think he cares about you very much," Piper replied, squeezing her daughter's hand. "He wouldn't leave. Not even after your brothers tried to force him out."

"It doesn't change who he is though, does it? Even when I was suspicious, I wanted to think that we could make it work. He wouldn't hurt me," Melinda said, gazing off in remembrance. Her parents exchanged uneasy looks. The last thing they wanted was their daughter falling back into the arms of Cole Turner's offspring. Still, twenty minutes out of surgery wasn't the ideal time to start such a discussion.

"We don't have to talk about this now," Leo said. Piper gave him a light nod in agreement. "You just need to rest and we'll think about everything else later."

Melinda sensed her parent's uneasiness and agreed to drop the subject. "How's everyone else?" she asked, shifting on the uncomfortable mattress.

"They're good. Poor Kate's family day turned into a fiasco, but I think coming here for you put things back into much needed perspective," Piper told her.

"A fiasco, huh? I can only imagine how…" Melinda's words trailed off with a groan. Her face wrinkled with pain.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

"It's just my back. It hurts," she managed, gritting her teeth. The wound throbbed and burned to an excruciating extent. Tears nearly came to her eyes.

"I'll go get a doctor," he said, giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. Leo briskly made his way for the door, desperate to help in at least some way. Now that Melinda was awake and the danger had passed he could finally breathe. Of course fatigue quickly replaced his frayed nerves, leaving him worn and exhausted. He nearly stumbled out the door of the hospital room, only to nearly collide with another nearby face.

"I'm sorry," Leo apologized while he tried to keep his balance. His mouth dropped when he glanced up. "Jack?"

"Mr. Wyatt," he greeted back sheepishly. "I was hoping I could talk to you."

"To me?" Leo asked in confusion. He had conflicted feelings about the young man. Jack had lied and put his daughter in danger. At the same token it was clear he cared for her immensely. His battered face glimmered with endearing sadness and desperation. Leo was a typically reasonable and sympathetic man, but even he couldn't find it in his heart to so quickly trust the demon. "I don't think now is the time. I'm sorry..."

"Please, Mr. Wyatt," Jack tried, blocking Leo's path as he tried to brush by him. "I haven't had a chance to explain myself."

"I think I've heard enough," Leo replied grimly.

"I can understand why you don't want to give me a chance," Jack said. "I mean, if Melinda was my daughter I would feel the same way – worse probably."

"Then you'll certainly understand why I think it's best if you left and gave everyone some time and space…"

"I just want to talk to her one last time. It'll only take one more time, I promise," Jack pleaded. More sadness bled through his blue eyes and Leo's hardened face softened against his intentions. "Please, just grant me that. Not only for me but for her too."

Leo frowned and nodded. "Okay," he muttered. "But I'll warn you, I'm not the only person that you're going to have to convince if you want to step foot into that room."

* * *

Phoebe Halliwell sighed as she started on her third cup of coffee. With Melinda's health confirmed most of the family went to grab dinner, finally able to get food down after the fear settled. Phoebe of course refused to leave. She wasn't just determined to be there for her niece but she was on standby for Piper. Though her older sister certainly wouldn't admit it or ever ask her to wade through the turmoil with her, Phoebe was well aware that Piper needed her. Even after fifty years, they depended on each other. And though they were no longer battling demons, they would always have each other's backs. They would always be there. It was a silent, nonnegotiable contract. For that, Phoebe stayed, cancelled her book signing, the launch of her tour, and all other engagements. Piper would tend to her daughter and Phoebe would tend to the rest of the family. Not just because Melinda was still fragile but because deep down, Phoebe was beginning to sense that there was something tormenting her sister. Something she feared to discover but couldn't bear to be in the dark of much longer.

As she scrolled through her smartphone, rearranging appointments and obligations, Phoebe hardly heard the footsteps crossing the lobby. They were light, balanced, catlike steps that could only belong to the forever agile Lucy. "Hey," Phoebe greeted gently.

"Hey," she replied back.

"I thought you were with the boys in the cafeteria," Phoebe said.

"I was but I got a little sidetracked," Lucy told her, stopping in front of her mother's chair. The resentment and anger from earlier that day was clearly gone. In fact, remorse now marked her face. "I wandered into a bookstore downstairs. I mean, I don't know what I was thinking, there's a ton of crap in those shops, like who is going to buy a get well soon magnet for someone? And the magazines; don't get me started…"

Phoebe's brow furrowed in confusion as Lucy rambled. "Sorry, beside the point," she cleared her throat. "What I wanted to say was on the display table was a book on the New York Time's bestseller list this week. And it made me really proud, because that book was by you."

Lucy carefully pulled a new, hardcover novel out from behind her back. "I was hoping you would sign my copy," she said.

She offered the book to her mother and with shiny brown eyes and a smile, Phoebe took the offering. "I thought this was responsible for ruining your childhood," she smirked.

"I exaggerated," Lucy frowned. She took a seat in the open spot next to Phoebe. "I'm sorry for what I said today."

"It's okay. It hurt, but it's okay," Phoebe told her. She stared down at the book. "I can understand why it was hard for you. You were young and you're right, I was gone more often than I should have been."

"But you were still there when I needed you," Lucy said. She chewed on her lip. "I guess I was just too young to understand. And I guess all this time I wanted something and someone to blame. Laura and Lila chose sides when you and dad split up. I wasn't sure what to think. I still idolized you and dad. All I knew was that everything went wrong after your book was published. So I guess instead of blaming either of you, I blamed that."

Phoebe frowned. "All this time I've forgotten how hard it was for you girls. I did my best to make it as painless as possible," she said. "I guess there are a lot more scars than I anticipated."

"It's not like we had a monstrous childhood. There were more good times than bad," Lucy replied.

"I like to think so," Phoebe smirked. "I think since we're all together again – the five of us – we can address some of the things we buried then. Even if it's a painful process."

"I'm sorry for being such a brat," she murmured.

"It's okay. You make it endearing somehow," Phoebe chuckled, wrapping an arm around her youngest. She rested her cheek on the top of Lucy's head. "But I hope you know that these books aren't just for me. I guess that's what hurt me the most. All the inspiration, all the love, and passion that goes into them – it comes from you and your sisters and your father. I couldn't write them without you."

"Well, I'm honored to be your muse," Lucy said. Phoebe pressed a multitude of kisses to her youngest daughter's cheek, causing her to squirm and laugh. "Hey, lady, enough with the affection, I think we've had enough feelings for one day. Now are you going to sign my book or what?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes as she pulled out a pen. "Don't tell me you paid full price for this."

"Don't even get me started. I tried to get the "author is my mother discount" but those bitches wouldn't budge. I paid $29.99 plus tax for that beauty," Lucy replied. "Of course, I figured it's just getting recycled back into paying my student loans…"

"Well, you are now the owner of the first signed copy," Phoebe smiled, returning the book to her daughter.

"You cancelled your book signing?" Lucy asked.

"Of course. The family was in crisis. I still have my priorities," she replied. "And I'll have you know, there were plenty of your fevers and nightmares that I cancelled for as well."

"I'm sorry for making you sound like the world's worst mother at the clinic today," Lucy said sheepishly.

"That's okay. I think the Halliwells as a whole made quite a grim impression," Phoebe chuckled. "Poor Kate…"

"Poor Lila," a voice behind them echoed. Huffing into a seat on the other side of Phoebe was Lila. "I'm never going to get a job."

"You've been looking for like a day," Lucy reminded her sister with a roll of her eyes. "Do you even have a resume? Do you even know what a resume is?"

"Shut up," Lila said.

"Honey, I don't get what the sudden push is for. If you're worried about the wedding you know I'm happy to help you and Gage out," Phoebe told her.

"That would just be stomping on his pride. I don't want to take your money, mom," she sighed in response.

"It's not taking my money! You're my daughter, I want to see you in your dream wedding," Phoebe insisted.

"You want to see Lila in her dream wedding?" Lucy repeated. "Do you also have a strong desire to live on the streets after emptying your bank account?"

"Listen, if it makes you feel any better, maybe we can work something out," Phoebe said.

"What do you mean?" Lila asked.

"Well, once things are settled I'll be starting on my book tour. I could certainly use an assistant on the road," she explained.

"Really? You would let me be your assistant?"

"Why not? My publicist drives me nuts and I just got done telling Lucy that this book is just as much the family's as it is mine. I would love for you to have a part in it," Phoebe answered.

"Mom that's generous, but I know nothing about being an assistant," Lila said.

"Trust me, it's not that hard. And it'll just be until you find something more permanent," Phoebe assured. "So what do you say?"

"Yes. I mean thank you and yes! Mom, I promise I won't let you down," Lila grinned, throwing her arms around Phoebe in enthusiasm.

"What? Does she even know what the book is about?" Lucy asked with skepticism.

"Love, duh," Lila replied. Lucy rolled her eyes at her sister's airheaded remark but couldn't help a smile as she glanced back down at her copy of Phoebe's book. Perhaps feelings associated with the past were irreversible. Perhaps their family was a little crazy, selfish, loud, and dramatic but in the end the behavior, ploys, and arguments dwindled down to one constant – love.

* * *

"Are you sure she's going to be okay?"

"She's out of surgery and will make a full recovery," Sam confirmed. She sat on the end of her sister's bed, knees pulled to her chest, hair pulled behind her head, with a sweatshirt keeping her warm. The ocean green walls in the room were calming and the space now clearly Kate's with her clothes, books, and photos strewn about. It was hard to believe that only three weeks earlier the oldest Mitchell daughter was being dropped off to face rehabilitation on her own. Now the arrangement felt more normal – or at least they'd come to cope with the discomfort and strangeness of rehab.

"I can't believe this happened," Kate sighed. She bit on her nails as she leaned against the headboard of her bed, a pillow squeezed to her chest.

"You should have seen Chris and Wyatt lose it on Jack," Joey added. "Of course, I have to say he handled his own pretty well."

"He _is_ a demon," Sam reminded him.

"You guys should be back at the hospital with the rest of the family. You don't have to come keep me company," Kate said.

"Trust me, we're not needed," Joey told her. He sat in a chair nearby, his feet propped up onto the bedframe.

"Plus, we wanted to apologize," Sam said gently. Joey nodded in agreement. "I know we were selfish today. Everyone was selfish."

"We didn't mean to turn your family day into a shouting match," he added. "We're all sorry."

"It's okay," Kate replied with a forlorn, crooked smile. The turmoil and arguing at the meeting had certainly put a damper on her day. It was nerve wrecking enough to have to confront the group about her drinking problems but a complete other to bear witness to an explosion of every secret and resentment built up in the last month. She loved her family but at times they seemed to get too caught up in their own dilemmas and personal drama. It was something talked about extensively in her many therapy sessions. In fact, it seemed that it was no wonder Kate turned to drinking rather than bothering the rest of the Halliwells with her inner grief and conflict following Paige's death.

"It's not okay. We were jerks," Joey said. He twiddled his hands in shame and bowed his head. "I shouldn't have reacted like I did to your application to the police academy. I think it's great that you've found something you want to do and you know I'll always support you."

"Thanks, Joe," she sighed. "I'm sorry for what I said last week. I was feeling sorry for myself. In fact, believe it or not, our argument is part of what inspired me to pursue a job once I'm released."

"So I have myself to thank for the competition?" he chuckled.

"Yep," Kate laughed. "And may the best Mitchell win."

"I wonder what dad could possibly be thinking right now," Joey smirked.

"He'd be proud of both of you," Sam spoke up. Their laughter slowed for a moment. "And I am too."

"I'm sorry for not talking to you about it sooner," Joey said.

"Me too," Kate murmured.

"It's okay. I know I haven't been the best communicator lately either," Sam replied. She placed a hand on Kate's knee. "But that's something that's going to change. No more keeping secrets. No more carrying things alone…"

"That's how I ended up here in the first place," Kate agreed.

"I'm sorry for hiding Nick. I just really like him and I didn't want to have to sacrifice my relationship with you guys or him," Sam told them. "And I know after today it will be hard to trust him but he's the first person who has made me feel like things could be okay even after mom died. He cares about me. And I don't want to lose him – but I don't want to lose you either. I can't lose you…"

"You won't," Kate said, grabbing her sister's hand. She gave a slow sigh and her hazel eyes twinkled. "I have to admit, I don't want you dating a half-manticore or whatever the hell he is, but if he makes you happy and he doesn't hurt you, then I suppose there's not much I can do. I just want you to be happy Sam."

"I am," she replied. "But I'm sorry if I broke your trust."

"It's okay. It just makes me more scared than angry."

"Scared?" Joey repeated.

"Yeah, scared. I mean, I get out of here in a week, and I'm worried I'll slip up. I'm worried that all the chaos and tension and secrets and hurt will overwhelm me like it did before and I won't be able to resist," Kate confessed. Her light brown eyes twinkled with fear and honesty. Both her siblings sank at the sight of her vulnerability. In all their own worries they'd neglected Kate. It was a pattern that started the trouble in the first place.

"That's not going to happen, Kate," Joey assured her.

"You don't know that. Half the people here are in for their second or even third visit. Relapses happen and I know once I get out the demons and the drama isn't going to stop…"

"But you have us. And we're not going to let you fall this time," Sam said. She squeezed her sister's hand. "I know we've made a lot of mistakes – today included – but that's going to change."

"We're in it together this time," Joey agreed.

Kate gave a slight smile as her face brightened. Perhaps she didn't have confidence in herself but at least she could have confidence in her family. "I missed being like this," she murmured. Her eyes were shiny with emotion. "I missed being close with you guys."

"I missed it too," Sam replied. She sniffled. "I guess everything today put it all in perspective. The fight and then almost losing Melinda…it's not worth putting our relationship in jeopardy. It's too important. And too fragile."

"Man we are cheesy," Joey teased behind them. He rose from his chair and jumped onto the bed between the twins.

"Joey!" Sam scolded.

Kate smacked him with her pillow and he laughed before grabbing another one and hitting her back. "Ow! Stop!" Kate shouted.

"Both of you stop! You're going to get us kicked out of rehab," Sam chuckled. Kate tossed a pillow at her sister.

"What are you afraid of Dr. Franklin?" she teased.

"If anything I think he's afraid of us," Joey said.

"For good reason. I think after today he needed a drink of his own," Kate laughed.

"I think after today this family is officially worse than a soap opera," Sam added.

"Yeah, just call it _All My Witches_," Kate smiled. As Joey and Sam blurted more soap spin-offs she gave a gentle sigh in contentment. Rehabilitation was a tough road but she knew leaving wouldn't be any easier. She had been living in constant fear of relapse but knowing the support of her family was there, knowing that even in their chaos they would be constant, she could breathe easier. A weight lifted from her shoulders. And for the first time something inside her said that perhaps for the first time since her mother's death, good times were bound to come.

* * *

"You look like him," Piper Halliwell muttered with slight disdain. She looked up at Jack Mason's face, examining his jaw line, vulnerable blue eyes, and neatly combed black hair. The long ago days of Cole Turner flashed through her head. But not of the Cole Turner who ruled the Underworld and made her sister the Queen of Evil. No, for a moment, she saw the Cole Turner who helped them fight demons, gave up his powers, and loved her sister.

"I'm sorry. I'm not a big fan of my father's either," Jack apologized. He stood sheepishly awaiting the verdict from the Halliwell matriarch. Leo stood next to his wife, arms folded across his chest as they stood outside of Melinda's hospital room.

"I want to believe you're as genuine as you claim to be," she told him.

Jack frowned. "Well, I don't know how else to prove myself to you," he replied gently.

Piper exhaled and glanced at her husband. Usually Leo was the one who reminded her of her soft side. He reminded her of their fight for love, their beautiful children, and the unconditional kindness and giving he embodied. In moments when she felt hard and untrusting their journey and his love reminded her that there was still some good out there.

_Need to know__  
If you're letting go_

"You can see her. But if she asks you to leave, you're gone," Piper advised. "And if you hurt her, I'll sic my sons on you so fast, you won't know what hit you…"

"I understand Mrs. Halliwell," Jack nodded. He nearly hugged her in his enthusiasm but she instead held out a hand. Jack pulled back in embarrassment and took the shake. "Thank you."

_It's alright,alright, it's alright_

"Try to resist my hand…" James Clement advised. He held his palm to Melinda's right ankle, putting pressure on her leg. Her face twisted and she gritted her teeth as she attempted to keep him from pushing her limb all the way to the mattress. "Good. Very good…"

"It hurts," Melinda told him breathlessly as he removed his hand.

"That's expected. It will take some physical therapy to get your strength back," he said. The surgeon gave her a kind smile. "But overall the outlook is good. No damage was done to your spinal cord. It's going to hurt for awhile though. I'll tell the nurse to increase your pain killer dosage so you can at least get some sleep."

"Thank you," she sighed. "For everything."

"Of course," James told her. "Just take it easy."

He gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder before gathering his paperwork and slinging the stethoscope around his neck. Before James could reach for the handle, the door pushed open, and Melinda's mouth dropped slightly. "Jack," she gasped.

_Didn't know  
I was hurting you so_

With James' departure Jack eased to Melinda's bedside, taking a place in the empty stool next to her.

"You're here," she managed. It was the only thing she could say. So many things threatened to pour from her mouth. She had questions and feelings and desires but nothing beat the sheer relief and surprise that overwhelmed her once seeing him.

Jack gave a slow nod. "I'm sorry, I can leave if you rather me…"

"No," Melinda blurted. She shook her head. "No. I wanted to see you."

_It's alright, alright, it's alright._

His entire face was shrouded in torment. He could hardly keep his gaze on her, desperate to hide the shiny gloss over his eyes. Bruises covered his gentle face and darkened his eye socket. "I'm so sorry this happened to you," he whispered. His voice cracked at the words and he lowered his head. "If I had known…"

"I know you wouldn't hurt me, Jack," she told him. "Not intentionally at least."

"But I still put you in danger. I'm sorry," he apologized. Jack looked up, his eyes of a dark serious, sapphire. "I promise I won't let that happen again."

_You came to me from nowhere  
With nothing  
And no-one_

Melinda shook her head. "You lied to me, Jack. You lied to me about who you really were," she whispered. "I trusted you."

"I knew if I told you, I'd lose you," he replied. Jack dropped his gaze again, staring at the pale sheets covering her bed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

_Hold tight, hold tight, hold tight_

"Jack, stop…" Melinda cut him off. She grabbed his hand off her bed railing and into her own. Tubes dangled from her hand and wrist, connecting her to machines and fluid bags. A breathing tube rested under her nose. "Jack, look at me. Please, honey, look at me."

His cerulean eyes flashed up to meet hers. Her heart sputtered at the look. Any anger, uncertainty, and betrayal vanished. Suddenly he was hers again and Melinda couldn't bear to consider a life without it. She squeezed his hand. "I still love you," she told him.

"I love you too," Jack replied gently. He swallowed hard. "Which is why we can't see each other anymore."

_Goes to show  
You never really know_

_It's alright, it's alright, it's alright_

"What?" Melinda nearly choked. Her chocolate gaze narrowed in confusion and she shook her head. "Jack, I know that a lot of things have gone wrong between us but that doesn't mean we can't make it work. I forgive you…"

"No," Jack interrupted shaking his head. "You almost died because of me. I put you in the crossfire because I didn't perform my duty. Because I couldn't hurt you or your family."

"Which is why even though you lied, I know you're still the man I fell in love with Jack…"

"No!" he nearly shouted. She shuddered and Jack squeezed his eyes shut, still cradling her hand in his. "I'm not good for you, Melinda."

_This is just one of those  
Lonely night  
The good times gonna come_

Tears began warming her eyes as she sensed his solemn nature. She shook her head. "Why are you saying this? Is it because of my family? My brothers? Did they tell you to do this?"

"No," Jack swallowed hard. He struggled to hold back tears of his own. "This was my decision."

"Well I won't let you make it. We can work this out…"

"I'm a demon, Melinda. And you're a witch," he whispered. "It's never ended well…"

"But you're not evil!" she argued. Her back ached as she tried to choke back sobs. "Jack, I know you're not evil. I know you love me."

"Of course I love you."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because I can't risk getting you hurt again! I have to protect you!" Jack told her.

_See me then  
Investing so much  
In you, in you, in you_

Melinda's sadness turned to anger. She sniffled. "I don't need you to protect me," she said. "I need you to fight for me because I'm not going to stop fighting for you."

"I know you don't understand, but this is what's best…"

"I'm not a child, Jack," Melinda growled. "Why are you giving up so easily? If you really loved me…"

"I love you more than I thought possible. More than I've loved anyone," he told her hoarsely. More tears threatened but he kept his stoic façade. "Please, please, don't think otherwise."

"Then please don't do this, Jack," Melinda whispered. Desperation shook her voice and her cheeks were shiny with tears. Shadows already darkened her eye sockets from the surgery and trauma of the day. Her body was weak and her words and movements were pained. She could hardly squeeze onto her hand with the strength left in her form.

_Came so close  
To the edge  
I do, I do, I do_

"I'm sorry," he said, slowly rising from his chair. Melinda kept a hold on his hand.

"No. Please, Jack. Don't…"

"I'm sorry," he stammered, letting go. He kept his head down as he went for the door, forcing each step forward, fighting against his own departure. His heart burst, his head pounded, and with agony he did the only selfless and loving thing he could - he left her behind.

_In the end  
We let it go away  
We let it float away  
On the breeze_

Piper Halliwell stared out the window in the hospital hallway, arms folded across her chest, her sweater hardly enough to keep her warm. The day had worn her thin. Since the disastrous Thursday breakfast, to their detrimental family day, to the news that her youngest daughter had been stabbed and nearly killed, Piper could hardly find the energy to stand on her own two feet. Leo offered to take her home but she knew where she was needed. Most of all, it wasn't rest she needed but simply a break from the nuisances of her head.

All day it haunted her. This couldn't be how she would leave them. They weren't just unprepared to know of her illness but the notion lingered that they were unable to function without her. It was a conceited notion but still held truth. They were a mess and she couldn't stand to depart the Earth knowing so much was in turmoil.

"Mom?"

When his footsteps shuffled behind her and his voice echoed through the empty hall, Piper was reminded of a million other times when her youngest son called her to his aid. She half expected to turn around and find a sweet seven year old pulling at her shirt.

"Hey," she greeted gently. Chris eased next to her, taking a moment to examine the same view. The city was only a dark outline, illuminated by distant stars.

"How's Melinda?" he asked.

"She's okay," Piper replied. "She was anxious to see you and your brother."

Chris nodded. He'd been beside himself since learning of Bianca's betrayal. And like a small child he knew the last safe place to turn to was his mother. He didn't intend to tell her of all that transpired that evening but at least by being close to her he could find comfort.

"I'm sorry about today," Chris muttered. He tried to maintain a strong demeanor but struggled.

Piper glanced up, recognizing the waver in her son's voice. "It's okay, honey," she told him.

"No," he shook his head. "It's not."

"We were all on pretty bad behavior today," Piper chuckled. She glanced up at his face and her brow instantly furrowed in concern. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Chris said. "Today got to me is all."

"Chris…"

He knew it was of no avail. His mother could see right through him. He chewed on his lower lip. "I know, mom," he whispered.

Piper's face fell. "Know what?" she asked. As they exchanged looks it was palpable. Chris and Piper's connection had always been the strongest. It was only a matter of time until he found out.

"That you're sick," Chris replied gently.

"How did you find out?" she asked.

"Wyatt told me but I knew something was wrong before then," he answered. Chris did his best to remain unemotional. "It's bad, isn't it?"

Piper remained silent.

"Mom?"

"It's treatable," she replied gently. She squeezed his arm. "I don't want you worrying, honey."

Chris lowered his head. "I can't not worry mom," he muttered. When he looked up his hazel eyes were heavy with emotion. Her heart broke at the sight of him vulnerable. He was a small boy again, desperate for her warmth. "This isn't fair. I don't understand…"

"I know it's unfair," Piper agreed, trying to keep from catching her voice on a sob. "But I'm going to be fine, Chris."

He shook his head as the first tears ruptured. "I can't lose you," he sniffled. "I can't…"

"Shhhh," she soothed him, quickly taking Chris into her arms. He buried his face into her shoulder and Piper held the back of his head, running her hand through his locks of chestnut hair. The mother-son paired cried for a few moments, holding each other in sheer desperation. Chris nestled into her like a heartbroken child and Piper held him as if he were small once more. The emotion from the day had built up to an unbearable weight and now the two had nothing left to do but endure its release.

"I love you," Chris choked on the words between sniffles.

"I love you too," Piper told him. She pulled him back, eyes red and tired. His cheeks were shiny with tears. "You're going to be okay, Chris."

"So are you," he whispered.

* * *

Laura sighed as she removed the white jacket from her aching shoulders and the stethoscope from around her neck. With the lounge empty she plopped down onto the bench in front of her locker and buried her head into her hands. Her head throbbed from stress and she gently massaged her temples. She felt like sleeping for weeks. The emotional strain of Melinda's injury on top of having to complete the rest of her shift had her dead on her feet.

"You look like shit."

She quickly looked over her shoulder, suppressing a smile when she spotted James. He sported a teasing smirk and light green scrubs.

"You know, I'm really not in the mood smart ass," Laura said.

"Sorry," James apologized. He opened the locker across from hers and cracked his neck from side to side. "You done with your shift?"

"Fortunately," she answered. "You?"

"Yep," he said.

Laura cleared her throat. "I wanted to thank you," she said. "For everything. For helping my cousin and the rest of the family. And for calming me down…"

"You don't have to thank me Laura," James replied, turning around to face her. "I care about you."

She gave a slow nod, her mouth quirking as it fought a frown. "You said you loved me back there. Did you mean it? Or was that just the heat of the moment?"

He swallowed hard. "I meant it," James said. "I haven't stopped loving you Laura."

"I haven't stopped loving you either," she replied. Her chest quaked and she cleared her throat again. "It's been hard not being with you. Sometimes when something happens to me or I come home, I still expect you to be there."

James grinned. "I find myself talking to an empty apartment all the time," he confessed.

Laura sniffled and shook her head. "It meant everything to me that you were there when I needed you today," she whispered.

"Always," James told her genuinely. His blue eyes twinkled. "I will always be there."

A tear fell from Laura's eye and he quickly wiped it away. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't mean to be emotional like this. It's just been a hard day and…"

Her words were cut off as James pressed his mouth to hers. His lips filled her with warmth and familiarity and as his arms wrapped around her waist she reveled in the security. She threw her arms around the back of his neck. Nothing between them was solved. But something changed. There was new faith, new hope. For the first time Laura felt as though she could trust him. That no matter how unnerving the secret of her Wiccan lineage was, he wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't run away. He would always come back.

* * *

Hot with vengeance and ripe with emotion, Jack shimmered into the Underworld. The granite doors to Malum's chambers were sealed shut but with no remorse, Jack waved his hands, throwing them open with his telekinesis. A fireball lit up in his right hand and in an instant he took aim, killing the first useless guard in his step-father's office.

"Delezar," Malum greeted. His voice echoed off the marble and he was hardly affected by the fast act of aggression by Jack. The other demons in the room stiffened and prepared for attack but waited for Malum's order.

"You almost killed her!" Jack roared.

"I know, it was such a disappointment she lived," Malum sighed. Jack heaved a fireball and Malum cheekily stepped aside. With Jack's attack on the Source two energy balls were sent his way but he easily deflected them with a flick of his hand. Before Jack could attack again, Malum cleared his throat. "Now, now Jack is this any way to start a family reunion?"

"We are not family," Jack spat.

"That's no way to greet your brother," Malum said with a smirk. Jack momentarily froze with confusion when suddenly peeling from the shadows was a familiar face. Clad in a dark suit, pale face expressionless and blue eyes fearsome, was Damien Mason. He descended a few marble steps, his jaw tight with quiet rage.

"Damien…" Jack gasped.

"Delezar," Damien replied tersely. "You look about as thrilled as mother was to see me."

Jack glanced around the chambers. Four other demons awaiting Malum's orders stared at him. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Probably trying to find you," Damien said with a chuckle. "She couldn't let her favorite son get into trouble."

"How did you get out?" Jack asked.

"I let him out," Malum replied. He grinned and clapped his hands together. "It seems I needed someone else to take over the Brotherhood. Someone driven and devoted. Damien is more than up to doing what you failed to."

Jack swallowed hard, still watching his backside, paranoid as the demons surrounded him. "You shouldn't have touched Melinda," he said.

"And you shouldn't have left the Brotherhood or denied my orders," Malum told him. "And on top of that you storm in here and throw a fireball at my head! I should have you killed!"

"I'd like to see you try," Jack glared.

"Oh you think you stand a chance?" Malum laughed. His booming voice echoed off the stone walls. Damien callously paced around the room, working a tight circle around his brother.

"You hurt her…"

"You are pathetic!" Damien growled. He stopped in front of Jack and slapped a hand across his brother's cheek. The blow stung Jack's entire face and Malum chuckled in amusement. Damien had tormented Jack growing up. In fact, once in his presence, Jack already felt smaller. A red mark glowed on his jawline. Damien spit on him and shoved his chest. He leaned in close to his ear. "You are nothing."

Jack's muscles tightened with anger and he forcefully threw Damien away from him. His older brother quickly recoiled and let out a feral growl, cocking a fireball behind his ear. Jack did the same but before either could fire, Malum interfered.

"Boys!" he shouted. The two panted heavily. "Wait, for just a moment – though I must admit I do enjoy your enthusiasm."

"Let me kill him," Damien hissed.

"Not yet," Malum said. He eased toward the brothers who remained in battle positions, fireballs prepared to launch at one another. "We have to give Delezar one last chance."

"And what's that?" Jack asked breathlessly.

"Come back to the Brotherhood. Work for Damien," Malum told him. "And in return we won't kill you or Melinda."

"No," Jack shook his head instantly. "I will never work for you again. We will settle this here and…"

Damien hurled a flame at his brother before Jack was ready. With just moments to spare he dodged the danger and instantaneously threw his own fireball. Malum ducked out of the way of both of them, laughing all the while at the chaos.

The fireball missed Damien but struck another stray demon in the room. Jack threw his brother toward the wall with a blast of telekinesis, only to find another fireball coming from the direction of one of Malum's men. He dove to the ground, rolling out of the way as more flames were fired at him.

Nearly frothing at the mouth with rage, Damien stalked toward his brother, grabbing him by the shirt and yanking him up to his feet. He tossed him across the room and Jack fought dizziness as his head hit the granite. Damien smiled as he conjured a fireball and took aim at his slouching brother. He looked over at his step-father before launching it.

"Finish him," Malum advised with a nod.

Damien hurled the flames with power and speed. Jack watched the orange sphere travel directly for his face and closed his eyes, prepared for the end. It was one he certainly deserved. One he was prepared for. If he couldn't have Melinda, this was the next best option.

And yet the flames never hit him.

He blinked open his eyes in confusion, looking up to see the back of a broad man in front of him. "Belthazor…"

Cole Turner hardly flinched when the fireball hit off his chest. He stood firmly in front of his son, shimmering in not a second too soon. "You won't touch him," his voice boomed.

Jack could hardly make sense of what was happening. Suddenly a familiar pair of hands was yanking up his arm and he stumbled up to his feet. "You're okay, Delezar," Aliah whispered to her son, trembling with fear as she helped him to stand. The two lingered behind Cole who fearlessly stared down Malum and Damien. The other demons were too awestruck to move.

"How pleasant of you to make an appearance," Malum glared. He looked at Aliah. "I should have known you'd run to him."

"I told you to keep your hands off my son," Aliah said.

"And what about your other son, mother?" Damien asked darkly. "Am I not worthy of your protection?"

Aliah bowed her head in shame and Jack took a small step in front of her.

"I was locked away for six years! And you never came for me!" Damien shouted.

"Those Stone drove you mad!" Aliah yelled back. "You were hardly the same!"

"I was never your sweet, Delezar. I was never enough! I wasn't Belthazor's son!" Damien spat with rage.

"That's enough," Malum advised. He straightened his tie, and folded his arms across his chest. "Hand over the boy, Belthazor. This isn't your battle."

"But he's my son," Cole replied. He glanced back at Jack. "If you want to hurt him, you're going to have to go through me."

Malum chuckled. "What a dedicated father you've suddenly become," he said. He shook his head. "But you're always too late, aren't you Belthazor?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Cole replied.

"You could have been the Source decades ago. In fact, you still could be," Malum sighed. "But much like your son, you're too much of a coward to face your destiny."

Cole only smiled. "You think you're going to goad me into battle with a few insults?" he asked. "I'm not afraid of you, Malum. If anything, you should be afraid. I would kill you here but where would be the fun in that? There will be plenty of time to battle."

"There always is," Malum said.

"You're only biding your time, Malum. The Triad is preparing to take over."

"Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Then what are they waiting for?"

Another cheeky smile lifted Cole's dimples. He shot his son a knowing look. "The right piece to their plan of course," he said.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Malum said. Tense silence existed between the two parties.

"Well, it's been nice, but I think we'll be taking our leave," Cole announced.

Malum glared. "Go ahead take him. He's of no use to me anymore," he spat. He set dark eyes on Aliah. "But you stay."

"No…"

"You are still my wife!" Malum barked. "You are still the Queen!"

"She comes with us," Cole told him.

"You stay out of this!" Malum shouted. He stared at his wife with pure hatred. "Aliah…"

She exchanged glances with Cole and gave a long sigh. "You don't have to do this," Cole told her.

"Yes I do," she said. Her eyes fell on her battered son. "You take care of him."

"I will," Cole nodded.

"Mom…" Jack started.

"Aliah!" Malum shouted again.

She pressed a kiss to Jack's forehead before stepping back to join her husband and Damien. Jack wavered on his feet, still dazed from the earlier blow and the day's events. He only kept eyes on the dark gaze of his mother. Cole took a firm hold of his arm and in a flash, the two shimmered out.

* * *

_'Round the bend  
The sun is in the sky_

"And then I basically shouted to everyone in the clinic that I was gay. So overall, I'd say it was a successful therapeutic session…"

Melinda managed a smile at her brother's story, unable to laugh without irritating her wounds. Wyatt sat on the edge of her mattress, doing his best to keep their spirits up despite the sad mood. Leo sat in a chair on the other side of her bed, trying to fight the urge to sleep as they approached the early morning hours.

"I'm sorry again for being such a jerk, Wyatt," Melinda sighed. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself."

"Well, I forgive you," Wyatt said. He frowned. "And I'm sorry about Jack…"

"I rather not talk about it," she whispered, choking back tears. It took everything in her to not completely break down following their break-up. In fact, now it was just denial and numbness and painkillers that kept her going.

"Right," he nodded.

The door opened behind them and joining the rest of the family was Chris and Piper. "I thought you'd be in a drug induced sleep by now," Piper chuckled, kissing her daughter on the cheek.

"Nope, I just feel tingly all over," Melinda said. She gave a gentle smile as Chris carefully embraced her.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he told her. "I'm sorry for everything today."

"I am too," she replied.

"You scared the shit out of all of us," Chris said on a lighter note. He took a seat next to Wyatt. "I think I'm going gray thanks to you."

"You were already going gray," Wyatt teased.

"At least I'm not a silver fox like dad," Chris smiled.

"Hey! I am hardly a silver fox," Leo said. Piper sat on his lap, arm around his shoulders.

"I think it makes him look very distinguished and handsome," she added, kissing his cheek.

"Gross," their children booed in unison.

_It's starting to look like  
It's gonna be, yeah, it's gonna be  
A bright  
Beautiful day_

"How were things with Jack?" Piper asked her daughter.

Melinda stared down at her hands, averting the sympathetic gazes of her family. "He's gone," she whispered.

Chris squeezed her shoulder. "We can beat him up again if you want," Wyatt offered.

"Not funny," Leo said, though Melinda managed a gentle laugh.

"That's okay," she sighed. "At least I still have you guys."

"You always have us," Chris told her. He gave a sad smile. "We'll get through this."

"All of us," Wyatt agreed, giving Piper a knowing look. She nodded and Leo pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Only Melinda remained unaware of what was to come next and yet even she understood to some extent. The family of five paused in a tender silence, collecting strength and comfort. For a moment they could forget all the hard times of the past, all the bad feelings of the present, and all the pressures that were to come. For now they could rebuild and recharge. For now they could believe that one day it would all be good again.

_Yeah, the good times gonna come, oh no  
The good times gonna come, yeah, yeah,  
__It's alright, it's alright, it's alright_

* * *

_Yeah! Finally the end of a super packed episode and yes, a super long chapter. A lot of things to wrap up in that one, so sorry about the length, but thank you if you stayed with me! I really appreciated all the reviews last chapter and I wanted nothing more than to get this episode wrapped up quickly. I'm finally on break from school so I plan on having more time to write and hopefully get a jump on episode 8. I hope to see as many reviews as last time and again feedback is really appreciated! I always like to know what you liked and didn't like and what you want to see. Thanks for continuing to read and review! It keeps this story going :) ~ Sammy _

_Oh! And the song was Good Times Gonna Come by Aqualung. _


	36. Episode Eight : Only Human

Episode 8: Only Human

Broken glass.

He recognized the texture and feeling of sharp pokes and shards stinging his back. Chris quickly rolled away from the mess, his shirt damp and clinging to his form as he got to his knees. Scrapes and cuts stung along his flesh, causing him to wince. His eyes refused to focus and he struggled to stagger up to his feet as the room shifted in senseless, dizzy circles.

Before Chris could regain his awareness, a blinding, blue sphere charged in his direction. His entire body tensed and with hardly the time to raise a hand he called for the deadly force. "Energy ball!" he shouted.

The electrically charged sphere was hot in his hand but despite his fatigue and the pangs rushing through his body, he easily handled the attack. It was second nature and in all his years of battling, habit and muscle memory worked to his advantage. With a grunt and off balance aim he flung the energy ball back in the direction it came.

It wasn't until the cerulean sphere left his hand and shot across the room that he spotted his adversary. The black shadow darted out of the way, crashing into a table in the process. Chris quickly jumped over the counter in front of him, landing on his feet with quiet agility, nervously glancing around the dim room when he couldn't spot his enemy.

"Don't run away from me!" he shouted. His voice echoed loudly in the empty space. He was tensed as he took timid steps forward, constantly glancing over his shoulder, turning in suspicious circles. "Come out!"

Chris' demands were suddenly met as a heavy force slammed into his back, forcing him to the hard ground. The two bodies tumbled across the floor, grunting and groaning until suddenly his attacker was on top of him. Her chocolate eyes were shrouded with terrifying darkness. He had no doubt that she would kill him. She kept a hand clenched around his throat as she pulled up a blade with her other.

"Bianca, don't," he choked.

She hesitated. The hold on his throat loosened momentarily but the sharp end of the blade remained inches from his throat. His plea made her falter and Chris quickly took advantage of her hesitancy. With a free hand he slapped her across the face and as she recovered from the shock of the blow, he quickly threw her from his body, sending her flying across the room.

Bianca landed in a pile of chairs, giving an angry cry as she collided with gravity. Chris was swiftly on his feet, pouncing up with energy and adrenaline. "Chair!" he called. As the piece of furniture was collected in a glow of blue orbs he hurled it down at Bianca who still clamored off the floor. She quickly shimmered out of the way, leaving Chris staring at the collection of overturned tables and chairs.

He panted for breath, wiping the sweat from the brow as he glanced around. Bianca silently shimmered in behind him and when the hair rose on the back of his neck, Chris quickly turned with only seconds to spare. A fat energy ball sped toward his face and he frantically ducked out of its way. With determination glowing from her face, Bianca formed another offensive attack, throwing it at her former lover with desperate velocity.

"Energy ball!" Chris growled, catching the ball in his hand. He prepared to throw it, only to find Bianca facing him with another energy ball in of her own prepared. The pair froze. Their arms were stuck in position, prepare to fire at one another.

Bianca could hardly gather her breath and swallowed down hard. "Go on," she said.

Chris remained frozen. "You first," he told her.

"You don't want to do this, Chris. You don't really want to kill me," Bianca breathed, forcing a smirk.

"You're right," he replied. He watched as her face fell in slight surprise. It was the smallest flicker but even after their short courtship he knew what it meant. He knew she cared. He knew she wasn't as callous and cold as she appeared. He knew her heart. And he knew he had her. Chris slowly lowered his energy ball, holding his arms out by his sides.

"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion. Her hand shook as she clenched onto her energy ball.

"Just do it," Chris replied. He took a step closer and Bianca flinched, backing up skeptically.

"What is wrong with you?"

"If you want to kill me so bad, just do it," Chris said.

"Don't be stupid," Bianca growled.

"Do it!" he yelled. "Let me make it easy for you."

"No!"

"Now! Do it!" Chris shouted.

Their eyes locked. Chris took a calming breath. Bianca tightened her grip on the energy ball, her biceps tensing as she prepared to release. She could taste vile at the back of her throat. The tension made her sick. Her stomach twisted in vicious circles. She was angry at herself for not being strong. For the feelings that held her back. Bianca's glare narrowed and she locked her jaw.

With a grunt and as much strength as she could muster, Bianca hurled the energy ball, doing her best to overcome the unbearable waft of regret.

…**Four Hours Earlier…**

It was half past eight and the San Francisco sky was an overcast gray, suggesting the March day was on track to be rather bland. For starters it was already beginning too early for Joey Mitchell who grunted his way through P3, arms loaded with a hefty box. Glass containers clanked loudly with each labored step and he groaned as he settled it on top of the bar. "Please tell me that's the last one," he sighed.

"I don't know, I'll have to check the inventory one last time," Chris told his cousin as he began unloading bottles from the shipment.

"It says that the Phoenix are morally ambiguous," Wyatt announced. He sat at a table nearby, examining the page in the Book of Shadows dedicated to Phoenix witches. He wore his white chef's jacket and desperately drank from his cup of coffee next to him. "Maybe she only kills demons?"

"She's working for Malum," Chris sighed.

"It's too bad," Joey muttered, helping his cousin to reload the shelves behind the bar with liquor. "She was hot."

Chris shot Joey a look before addressing his brother. "Wyatt, you don't have to worry. I'll take care of it."

He frowned in response. "You know I don't like the idea of that…"

"You don't trust me to follow through?"

"No. I just don't trust her," Wyatt answered. He glanced back down at the Book. "She's an assassin Chris. That means she's dangerous and if her objective is really to hurt you then she won't hesitate."

"I can handle it," Chris insisted.

"I know, but it would be smart to have backup," he tried.

"I got myself into this mess, I'll be the one to take care of it," Chris decided firmly.

"Not to doubt you, but how exactly is that going to go? I mean, obviously I have little to no experience in this department, but do you just say 'Hey, you're trying to kill me. That's not cool.'? Or do you just kill her?" Joey asked. Wyatt raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"I was curious about your plan as well," Wyatt said.

"Well, I haven't really gotten that far yet," Chris replied. He pulled the last bottle from the box and threw the cardboard aside. "But I guess I plan on telling her that I know she's a Phoenix. And that she needs to stay away from me and the family or there will be consequences."

"Sounds simple enough," Joey nodded. He straightened more glasses and bottles on the shelf while Wyatt fingered the pages in the Book of Shadows.

"You really don't have to do this alone," he told his younger brother.

"I know," Chris murmured. "But I'll be okay, Wy."

Joey leaned against the bar and gave his cousin a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry about all this Chris."

"Why?"

"I just think it would be hard. You trusted her and developed feelings for her and now you have to cut ties…"

"It's really not a big deal," Chris cut him off quickly. He looked away, casually examining a clipboard of inventory charts. "It's not like I love her."

Wyatt frowned, sensing the slight twinge in his brother's voice. "It's still not easy," he said.

Chris ignored him, continuing to check things off on the paperwork. He cleared his throat and glanced at Joey. "I think that's it. Thanks for coming in early."

"Not a problem, boss," Joey replied, exchanging a knowing glance with Wyatt. He knew it wasn't his place to ask Chris about Bianca any further but even he could read between the lines. The two shared a fist bump and Joey changed the subject to a lighter note. "Will I see you tonight for family dinner?"

"I'll be there. I don't want to miss Kate's homecoming," Chris said, managing a small smile.

"Or aunt Piper's famous lasagna," Joey grinned.

"Actually, I'll be making dinner tonight," Wyatt told him, swallowing down hard.

"No way, aunt Piper is letting you cook family dinner? That's sacred!" Joey exclaimed in surprise. "Is she feeling all right?"

"A little under the weather, but she'll be fine," Wyatt replied, catching Chris' gaze with a discreet frown.

"Well, I suppose you'll have to suffice in her place," Joey teased obliviously. He pulled on his jacket, straightening it as he came around the bar.

"We'll see you later, Joe," Wyatt smiled at his cousin.

"And good luck. I still find it remarkable that any university in their right mind would give you a degree," Chris ribbed.

"I'm just half a term away," Joey beamed. "And then perhaps you'll be calling me Officer Mitchell after I get into the police academy."

"Don't you smoke too much weed to get in?" Chris asked.

"Shut up," Joey chuckled as he reached the steps to exit the club. "Later."

"See ya," Chris and Wyatt called before the door shut. Wyatt's gaze landed on his brother. "What?"

"You're just surprisingly nonchalant about this situation with Bianca," he replied.

Chris sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. I was just expecting a little more emotion. You have a right to be angry or upset or sad…"

"Well, of course I am. But these things happen. It just comes with the job," Chris said. He ran a hand through his hair. "What good is it going to do to completely lose control? We have more important things to worry about. The faster I can take care of this the better. It doesn't have to be dramatic. I want it to be as painless as possible and then I can focus on…"

"Mom?" Wyatt finished his brother's sentence. Chris gave a sheepish nod. "She's going to be fine, Chris. You can't worry so much."

"She has stage four lymphoma, Wyatt," Chris said solemnly. "It's basically a nice way of saying she's dying."

"She's strong and she can still pull through…"

"You can be as optimistic as you want but I'm not in denial. I'm not going to waste time mourning Bianca's betrayal or stressing out about demons when mom needs us."

"She would want you to continue like things are normal."

"Well things aren't normal," Chris replied. He shook his head. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore Wy."

His brother gave a slow nod. "Okay," he sighed.

"Can you handle the restaurant today?" Chris asked.

"Consider it done," Wyatt replied. He managed a smile at his younger brother. "Try to relax, okay? I know it's unnatural for you but if you can find a way it will make this all a little easier."

"I'll do my best."

* * *

Lila paced back and forth, cellphone held to her ear, scowl on her face, tablet in hand. "No, we want the title guest spot. She has twelve minutes for the interview, not nine, and no questions about the undercover operation with the Department of Homeland Security in 2005. Also we expect to fly first class and…"

"Lila, honey, it's okay," Phoebe advised her daughter, but Lila paid her no attention. She sighed, giving the fan in front of her a smile. A line awaited her, full of mostly middle age women, vying for an autograph of her book. The small book signing was swelling to a larger size than she anticipated thanks to Lila's last minute marketing strategy. Her hand was cramping and her cheeks throbbed from taking pictures. In her first week on the job Lila was excelling as Phoebe's assistant. In fact, if it was at all possible, it seemed she was doing too well at the job.

"And we want a fruit basket in the room and croissants, not bagels. Fresh please," Lila demanded. "We'll be expecting you at JFK airport. Bye."

Phoebe swirled her name onto another book cover and handed it back before glancing back at her daughter. "That really wasn't necessary, sweetheart," she said through a smile.

"Mom, I'm your assistant. It's my job to make sure you get exactly what you want."

"But I don't need fresh croissants or…"

"You're a best-selling author," Lila reminded her. "Now smile."

"What? Oh," Phoebe forced a grin for the camera as a pair of fans posed next to her. "Thank you."

"You just let me worry about the details while you enjoy being a star. Or at least as much of a star as an author can be," Lila said.

Phoebe ignored Lila as another beaming fan approached the table. She offered Phoebe her book with excitement. "Hi there," Phoebe greeted.

"I just have to tell you that you're book inspired me to give it another chance with my husband," the woman confessed anxiously. "You are such an inspiration."

"I'm so happy to hear that. That's exactly what the book is about – not giving up on love," Phoebe smiled. "Now who I am I making this out to?"

Before the woman could answer, a deep, masculine voice echoed behind her. "Cole Turner."

Phoebe's mouth dropped in surprise. Lila instantly tensed prepared to pounce over the table and tackle the man who cheekily peered behind Phoebe's fan. "Ignore him," Phoebe advised.

"It's Suzy. You can make it out to Suzy," the woman said, feeling the tension suddenly falling around them. She scrawled her signature in a few fluid loops. The strong stench of the pen was beginning to give her a headache. Her heart raced as Cole waited for her to finish.

"There you go. Thank you," Phoebe smiled graciously. As soon as Suzy was out of sight her face went to stone. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd say hello," Cole replied. He placed a copy of Phoebe's book on the table. "Really not as inspiring as everyone says it was. I found it a little cheesy actually…"

Lila's jaw clenched. She still remembered Cole as the man who ruined Gage's proposal. And though he let her go, Lila refused to fall prey to the deceptive demon. "Let me take care of him," she growled to her mother.

"No," Phoebe said, putting an arm out and holding her daughter back.

Cole smiled "She's a feisty one, isn't she?" he chuckled. "You know you don't have to be so hostile, Lila. I did let you go."

"After you kidnapped me!" she hissed.

"Cole…" Phoebe started, attempting to remain calm for the line of adoring fans waiting for her. "I don't appreciate these unexpected visits. What is this about?"

"I don't know how much good it will do but I thought I'd pass on a little information. The Source is being challenged for power," Cole told them.

"That's vague," Lila glared. "Thanks for nothing."

"You didn't teach them manners, did you?" Cole asked Phoebe.

"Who's challenging the Source?" Phoebe asked.

"The Triad."

"The Triad is still alive?" Lila asked in surprise. Phoebe was equally shocked and Cole smirked at his ability to provide intel.

"Yes and let's just say they're not the Source's biggest fan. They've enlisted the help of a few powerful demons to help them," he said.

"Like who?" Phoebe asked.

"You're looking at him," Cole winked.

Lila scoffed. "If you're trying to impress her, it's not working. She's already happy with my father…"

"Are you sure she's not Paige's daughter?" Cole asked Phoebe.

"Yes, I'm sure," Phoebe sighed. "Cole why would you go up against the Source? Why now?"

"I don't like him very much for starters," Cole said nonchalantly. "And he tried to kill my son."

"Jack? The idiot who almost go Melinda killed?"

"I agree he's not the brightest but that wasn't his fault," Cole replied. He gave Phoebe a grin. "Kind of ironic, don't you think? My son and your niece..."

"Hey, what's the hold up?" a woman called angrily from the front of the line. The rest of the group grumbled and booed as well.

"Sorry! This guy is crazy; you probably want to get security!" Lila yelled back.

"Thank you for that," Cole glared.

Lila smiled. "Wouldn't want you to get lost on your way out the door."

"Cole, I don't really know what you're trying to do, but thank you," Phoebe said. "Regardless, you should know I'm happy with Coop and I think it's best if we stay out of each other's lives."

"Right," Cole replied. Despite his attempt to remain unaffected he couldn't help the slight hint of forlornness in his voice. His blue eyes sank and though it dipped ever so subtly, he kept his cheeky smirk in an attempt to retain his façade. He cleared his throat. "I wasn't trying anything more than to suggest that perhaps your enemy's enemy could be your friend."

Before anymore could be said, bookstore security quickly came up to the table. "Sir, you're going to have to leave…"

"Of course, I was just finished," Cole told the timid security guard. He set his sapphire gaze on Phoebe one last time. "It was good to see you and congratulations on your book."

"Thank you," Phoebe managed gently.

"Lila, always a pleasure," he nodded. Lila kept her mouth in a tight line, arms folded across her chest. The pair watched as Cole was escorted out.

"That was bleak," Lila glared at his backside.

"Yeah," Phoebe whispered. Lila glanced down at her mother who remained quiet and still taken back. It wasn't the reaction she expected from her mother. It was clear Phoebe still had a soft spot for Cole Turner. Lila frowned and cleared her throat.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Fine," Phoebe answered, forcing a pitch of cheerfulness as a new fan approached. She quickly began signing the cover, doing her best to shake the longing that suddenly plagued her.

* * *

"Welcome home!"

Kate nearly cringed at her sister's enthusiasm. Sam anxiously pushed open the door to their apartment, nervously filling every beat of silence with chatter since picking her up from Cornerstone. Quietly Kate entered the living room, carrying her bags and giving a long exhale as the door closed behind them.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine," Kate replied. "It's just nice to be back."

"Oh, right," Sam nodded. She picked up her sister's bags and skirted off down the hall. "I haven't changed or touched anything in your room. Well, actually the people at the clinic made me go through your things to remove any contraband, I'm sorry, I felt uncomfortable about it but…"

"It's fine," Kate told her, following after her. She rolled her eyes as Sam placed her luggage on the bed. "I could have done that."

"It's okay, I got it," she replied. Sam turned around to face her sister. "Are you hungry? I bet your hungry from the ride back. I can make you a sandwich. I went to the store and tried to get some of your favorites…"

"Sam, I'm okay," Kate said firmly. She grabbed her sister by the shoulders, forcing her to stop talking. "I just got back from rehab, I'm not incapable of taking care of myself."

Sam swallowed hard and nodded. "I'm sorry, I just wanted it all to go smoothly."

"I appreciate it," Kate replied. She let go of her twin's shoulders and ran a hand through her chocolate hair. "If anything I just need a little space. This is all an adjustment. It will take a little time to get used to everything again."

"Well, I can give you space. Whatever you want," Sam insisted.

"And as much as I love it, you don't have to walk on eggshells around me. Treat me like you did before I went off the deep end," Kate requested.

Sam nodded enthusiastically. "I can do that too."

"Great," she muttered, still getting a sense of caution from her sister. She sighed. "Don't you have work or something?"

"I took the day off," Sam said nervously. She'd been so anxious and worried for Kate's return that she'd done everything in her power to make the transition perfect. She knew the first week would be fragile as her sister returned home from rehab, but her good intentions seemed to make things more tense than helpful. She awkwardly twiddled her thumbs.

"Right," Kate nodded. "Okay…"

"I can go out and run some errands if you want," Sam spat. She chewed on her lower lip.

"No, Sam, just go about your normal day, alright? I was going to go to a meeting…"

"An AA meeting?" Sam clarified.

"Yes an AA meeting."

"Have you been talking to your sponsor? I heard you need to talk with your sponsor if you…"

"Sam," Kate cut her off. Her sister fell silent.

"Sorry."

"You need to relax. You're turning into Chris," she chuckled. "Why don't you go find your manticore and spend your day off taking a break?

"But…"

"I'm going to go to the meeting, I'll feed myself, and I'll be sure to meet you at the manor for dinner and aunt Piper's."

Sam nodded. "Okay. But you'll call if you need anything or…"

"Yes," Kate cut her off. She gave her younger sister a comforting look and smiled. "We're going to be okay."

Sam sighed, releasing a tense breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in. So much fear and excitement swirled in her now that Kate was back that she could hardly stand it. But with the assurance of her older sister – assurance she hadn't had for months – she could allow herself a moment of peace. Kate was back and finally it seemed a part of her was too.

* * *

The office of Harvey & Roark architectural firm was in the heart of San Francisco. In many ways it seemed appropriate that one of the premier contracting companies was surrounded by some of the greatest skyscrapers and landmarks of the Bay Area. Owned by the affluent Harvey family of San Francisco, the firm was responsible for some of the city's most magnificent and noteworthy buildings. And for Lucy Halliwell, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

"This is where our business development team works. They mostly handle accounts, new business, take our clients out for lunch – you get the idea…"

Lucy followed in a small pack of four other interns, weaving through the office under the guidance of a bored employee with thick spectacles. She kept her portfolio under her arm, curled auburn locks bouncing with each step. It was out of the ordinary but as she slipped on heels and a blouse early that morning her immersion into the professional world seemed complete. She was twenty-three years old but not until she stepped into the work place did she finally feel like an adult.

"And this is the drafting room. This is where you'll spend a majority of your time," their tour guide announced. He brought them to a wide open room, full of large tables and chairs, intense table lights, tubes of blueprints, and a wall of windows. The architects and designers in the room didn't even notice them as they hovered over their designs with pencils and rulers, strained in deep concentration. "As it was explained to you, you will be expected to not only clock in your designated internship hours, but work and complete your assigned projects until they're up to standard. In other words, say goodbye to your life outside of these walls."

A hard pit formed in Lucy's stomach. For the first time the prospect was hitting her that perhaps managing a career and life as a Charmed One was going to be a new sort of challenge.

"For every assignment that comes into the firm, you will be expected to design three drafts. The best one of those drafts will be stacked up against others in the firm," he explained dryly. "You will not only be in competition with fellow interns but our seasoned architects."

"Don't look so scared, red…"

Lucy's brow furrowed as she heard the deep, masculine voice whisper in her ear. She looked over her shoulder, glaring when she spotted a fellow intern behind her, sporting a cheeky smile. "Are you talking to me?"

"No, I'm talking to our tour guide, Mr. Leaping For Joy," he said.

"Well, first of all, my hair isn't red," she hissed. She folded her arms across her chest. "Secondly, why would I be scared?"

"It just sounds like it's going to be pretty stiff competition, red" he whispered.

"Well, I'm not one to talk smack on the first day but since you started it – I'm not worried about the competition, I'm just worried about what I'm going to do when I make you cry…"

"I look forward to it," he smiled. He straightened his silk tie and offered her a hand. "I'm Wilson McCleary."

"You have two last names," Lucy quipped.

"And what's your name red?"

"Lucille Halliwell," their tour guide read dully. "Wilson McCleary and Timothy Richmond, you'll be here in the drafting room. The rest of you will come with me to construction. That's all. Good luck…"

"Lucille, huh? Or is it Timothy?"

"Lucy," she told him as the trio of interns timidly entered the room.

"I think I'll call you red," Wilson decided.

"You three must be the aspiring architects," another man greeted them as they found themselves lost among the tables.

"That's us," Wilson said.

"Great. The interns sit at that table over there. You'll find all the supplies you'll need. We're in the middle of drafting a modern design for a two story restaurant. Also a client isn't happy with the redesign we did to his mall. I'll expect your blueprints tomorrow morning at ten."

"All of them?" Timothy stammered. "But you haven't told us anything."

"Six drafts, three for each project, tomorrow," their superior repeated. "It's time to put on your big kid pants boys – uh and girl – okay? Now get to work. You're wasting my time."

"Yes sir," the three of them said.

"Great," Timothy sighed, scrambling off toward their empty spots in the draft room. Wilson exchanged glances with Lucy.

"Good luck, red," he smiled.

"You'll be the one needing the luck, blondey," she replied.

* * *

Piper Halliwell could only listen to the constant, rhythmic tick of the clock. It was a steady metronome, soothing her as she gazed off, wrestling with the painful thoughts that burdened her. As the time passed she forgot where she was. She'd long ago sank into the cream colored walls, no longer aware of the mahogany desk in front of her or the authoritative voice droning on and on. She was confronted with the disturbing concept that she wasn't ready. Her children were grown but she still had so much to do. She still had so much she wanted to see. She was supposed to die old, Leo at her side, a house full of grandchildren and maybe even great grandchildren. And suddenly it seemed like those things wouldn't happen.

How much fight did she have left?

She'd already seen so much. Reflecting back on all the turmoil and excitement in her short lifetime would be enough for anyone – but it wasn't enough for her. She wasn't ready. She'd finally made it to the easy part. Her children were grown, her years as a Charmed One were over, and all that was left to do was smile at weddings and spoil grandchildren. It was unfair that those golden, easy years were about to be ripped away before she could even try to enjoy them.

It wasn't how she pictured it. For decades she'd been a powerful, formidable witch. Now she felt like nothing more than a tired, helpless human about to face the final, most terrifying stage of her mortality.

"Piper?" Leo said gently. It was the third time he'd tried to garner her attention and now he reached out, placing a hand on her forearm. "Piper, honey?"

She jerked out of her trance, clearing her throat and straightening in her seat. "Yeah," she managed.

"Ryan was just telling us about his suggested treatment plan," Laura told her aunt. A sad frown pulled on her mouth as she watched Piper in sympathy. The three of them – Piper, Leo, and Laura – sat in a row of cushioned chairs across from Piper's new oncologist, Dr. Ryan Lockhart. Laura had offered to accompany her aunt and uncle to the appointment. She wasn't just there to help them navigate through the medical jargon and give her own expert opinion, but she was there as an extra support.

"Right," Piper nodded, doing her best to stay grounded in the moment.

"I'm sorry, I know this is going fast and it can be overwhelming," Ryan apologized. The young oncologist, 35 years old, offered a sympathetic appearance. His eyes were kind and helpful. It was one of the reasons Laura insisted that Piper and Leo seek treatment through her colleague. Despite his youthful and cheery disposition he was also one of the most respected oncologists in the Bay Area.

Leo gave a slow nod and rubbed his thumb in circles on Piper's hand. "Dr. Lockhart thinks it would be best to schedule you for surgery to remove some of the lymph nodes affected by the cancer," he told her.

"A lobectomy," Ryan clarified. He referenced the x-rays on the table in front of them. "Because the cancer has spread to your lungs, I think our best option is to proceed with a thoracotomy. We will remove one of the lobs of your lung that contains the cancer and some of the tissue that has been affected."

"Isn't surgery used for early stages of cancer?" Leo asked. "Piper's stage IV…"

Ryan nodded. "In many cases radiation would be suggested," he replied. "But I think because we're so far along, Piper's best chance is aggressive treatment. I know there are a lot of doctors who would disagree with me but she's been healthy up to this point. I want to cut off this cancer before it can damage her lungs any further…"

"And what about the lymphoma?" Laura asked.

"That will be treated with radiation afterward along with chemotherapy," Ryan answered. He shifted his stare to Piper's. "This isn't going to be an easy process. But if I can infer anything about you from what Laura's told me, it's that you're not one to give up because things are hard."

Pipers managed a nod in confirmation. "I just feel as though I've already lost," she confessed softly.

"The battle has only started," Ryan told her, managing an air of confidence. "And I don't lose."

Leo remained skeptical of the doctor's outlook. For starters he was too young. His bright eyes, shiny smile, and neat raven hair didn't scream oncologist. He wore a striped blue and orange tie against an equally bright blue shirt. He looked like a zealous catalogue model.

"What's the treatment timeline?" Laura spoke up. She could see her uncle's uneasiness as Piper sat between them.

"Surgery next week. Then we'll give you a week to recover before starting the chemotherapy," Ryan said. "We'll see what happens from there."

"And this treatment has worked before? You've treated stage IV lymphoma? What's your survival rate?" Leo grilled him.

"5 year survival rate of 82%" Ryan answered. "10 year is 74%."

"That's very impressive," Laura told her aunt and uncle.

"I know I may not seem the part of your typical oncologist. But I am successful and I will be with you every step of the way. It's an aggressive treatment but this is exactly how I would advise my own mother," Ryan said. He gave the trio a sad smile and closed the file in front of him. "But none of this really matters. What matters is that you trust me, that you're comfortable with this treatment plan, and that you're on board to fight this thing."

Piper pulled in a shaky breath as three pairs of eyes settled on her. It was moving too fast. She strained to hear the metronome of the clock again. Nothing could save her from reality. Nothing could save her from her fate. Nothing could ensure she would live to see a year from now. But suddenly she realized that was always the case.

She'd lost a mother, grandmother, and two sisters. She'd raised beautiful children, went to bed every night with a loving husband, and now headed a prospering family. It seemed every evil and hardship of her past had been balanced with some good and pure. And it was only because she never gave up the fight for the life she wanted. In many ways, it was the painful, inevitable cycle of her existence. Now after years of fighting evil, of achieving the impossible, it seemed like a waste to give up. There was too much to lose and Piper refused to roll over.

She would suit up for one more fight.

"I'm ready," she said.

* * *

_Tried for a quick update on this one! I honestly can't believe I'm actually starting an eighth episode! I'm still working out some ideas but all I can say is this has been so much fun to write and create. It's kind of cool to go back to the earlier chapters and not just see how my writing has improved in certain aspects but how much the characters have changed and developed - and still are! Thanks for going on this journey with me and reading. It's always so flattering to get reviews and see followers. I hope to continue to see what you all think and like. It's definitely an inspiration to know that people are reading and that they take the time to write me a note! As always thank you! ~ Sammy _

_Also I was getting a little tired of the flow of the episodes, so I tried something a little different in the beginning of this one. Tell me what you think of the flashforward concept because I'll be trying to start the other chapters of this episode with it as well! _


	37. Only Human : Segment 2

Sirens wailed and traffic groaned across the damp streets. Homeless people wandered aimlessly, begging and muttering from alleys, venturing out onto the sidewalk. Characters of questionable motive passed like shadows, peering with eyes that made Kate feel as though they were staring through her soul.

It was too late to be out. She knew that. As soon as darkness set on the city, it was smarter to remain indoors than venture through the downtown streets. But as rain fell from the San Francisco sky and a breeze came in from the Bay it was the only place that didn't make her absolutely crazy. She felt like crawling out of her own skin or letting out a feral cry. Instead fleeing the scene, finding clear air, and leaving the stress behind seemed like her best shot.

Kate could see the lights ahead. The corner store was familiar and in so many other moments of near breakdown, a beacon of solace. She avoided the shady figures that loitered outside the establishment, exchanging handshakes and scowls. The door jingled when Kate strode through. She squinted under the bright lights and ignored the stale, old musk that circulated in the cheap shop. Security cameras stared down from the corners, making sure customers weren't tempted to skimp out on paying or worse. It was a bad neighborhood - at least bad enough to instill fear as she traveled through the city unarmed and for the first time in her life powerless.

She weaved through the aisles of candy and chips and pornographic magazines. She traveled past the freezer of soda and stopped when she reached the shelf that garnered her interest. The glass bottles stared at her. The liquid that was not long ago her solution to turmoil and sadness now tempted her with vengeance.

Common sense told her to turn away. She didn't need the alcohol. But her heart raced, her mouth salivated, and suddenly her head throbbed. She grinded her teeth together and tried to calm herself with well-measured breaths. And still despite the logic, despite the motivation of her rehabilitation, Kate reached out. She took the bottle from the shelf, soothed by its familiarity.

_It's one drink. You're not going to lose control after one drink. _

She tightened her grip on the rum.

_You can handle it. Just one drink to calm your nerves. You deserve it. _

Kate glanced around, half expecting to find Sam or Joey or another family member there to discourage her or shame her. But no one was there. It was just her, alone with a bottle of liquor. It was infuriating to think that she longed for a drink so desperately. It was more infuriating that like a child she'd been banned from making her own decisions. Forced to feel guilt for having a beer while the rest of the family could partake in celebration or mourning with a simple drink whenever they wished. She glared down at the bottle.

_What's one drink going to do? Nothing bad can happen. _

She swallowed hard. With a breath of confidence and a tight grip on her venom, Kate turned for the cash register.

…**6 Hours Earlier…**

Melinda Halliwell stared at the cream colored crocheted blanket, running her fingers through the knots of yarn and small holes. She was eight days into her recovery from the stab wound that landed her in the hospital. Her childhood-adolescent room in the manor where she'd been staying was full of get well cards and flowers from her students, colleagues, family, and friends. The mint green walls of her upbringing, jewelry box, posters, photos, trinkets and books reminded her of a time that seemed far away. A time of naivety and innocence. A time that she would never get back – especially now.

"How's the physical therapy going?" Kate asked her cousin. She sat on the end of her bed, legs crossed and hazel eyes gentle. After going to an AA meeting at a local church she headed to the manor, eager to see Melinda.

"It's okay," she answered. The hours of physical therapy were actually rather grueling. Each step brought shooting pain to her wounded back, stinging the nerves and tendons that had been damaged. "How does it feel to be back home?"

"Good, really good," Kate replied. She tried to stay upbeat. She could see how depressed and forlorn Melinda was. On her way upstairs to her cousin's room Piper warned her that for the last week Melinda had been rather inconsolable. "Sam's being a little overbearing, but I guess I can't blame her…"

Melinda hardly seemed to be listening. Kate wasn't offended by her cousin's lack of interest; after all it was all painful small talk. Instead she sympathized. While Melinda's situation certainly wasn't comparable to her month in rehab, there were still painful similarities. She could see how trapped her cousin was. She was heartbroken, wounded, and fragile. Deep down she was probably resentful and bitter as well. After all, the family certainly wasn't any help when it came to Jack. In fact, if anything they were glad for him to be gone. Melinda was left to mourn alone.

"You doing okay?" Kate asked gently. She reached out, placing a hand on Melinda's knee.

She nodded. "I'm fine."

"You don't have to lie to me," Kate replied. "I know I can't really understand but in some ways I do. I mean having everyone walk on eggshells around you when all you want to do is scream. You probably feel like you're imprisoned in here and all you can do is sit around and blame yourself. And it seems like everyone who is trying to help and understand just really wants to make you forget so that they can forget too."

Melinda looked up from the bed, in slight awe of Kate's insight. She appreciated the honesty and freshness of the statement. She didn't apologize or tell her how awful it was or regret how badly things had turned out with Jack like everyone else did. And while their hardships were worlds apart, something about the feelings and bitterness were the same.

"I had no control," Melinda murmured. She shook her head. "Over any of this. It just escalated so quickly. Suddenly everything was wrong. But all the while I still felt the same. I still loved Jack."

"You don't hold him responsible?" Kate asked.

"No. Only responsible for ending things," she replied. "He made the decision for both of us that it was best. And that's what I hate most – I had no say. Even if Jack decided to stay the family would have pressured me to leave him. And even if they didn't, even if they came to accept it, I'll never know because Jack didn't fight for me."

"I'm sure he wanted to," Kate told her cousin.

Melinda chewed on her lower lip as she struggled to find the words that she long suppressed. They'd built up ever since the she arrived at the manor from the hospital. They bullied her as the four walls of her childhood bedroom stared her down. "I just feel like everyone treats me like a child. As if I'm a weak, scared little girl who needs to be protected and needs decisions made for them. But I don't. I'm tired of it. I can live my life for myself. It doesn't matter how many times I screw up or how many tries it takes me to find the right way – I just want the freedom to make my own choices.

Because to be begin with, for us, there are so few! I didn't get to choose to be a witch. I didn't choose to date a demon. I didn't choose this family or these powers. Just like you didn't choose for your parents to die or to end up in rehab. Everything is thrust upon us and the only light is the idea that we can exercise a little control. And all I've felt like in the last week is that all that control is gone."

Kate listened intently to Melinda's words, eyes flickering with each ripple of her cousin's genuine emotion. It wasn't often that she spoke with such conviction. Since Kate could remember Melinda was always the quiet, quick to please, kind, calm, and unadventurous Halliwell daughter. Between her and Sam and Phoebe's daughters, Melinda was a gentle, silent spirit with only tame intentions. But ever since Jack's arrival (and now his departure) something inside her seemed broken. It was as if she'd been ripped from her once agreeable position in the background and plunged into the fire.

"I can't imagine it's been very easy," Kate said. She cleared her throat. "I know you don't want advice. You don't want someone telling you to move on and get over Jack. You don't need to be told what to think. But if there's one thing I learned in the last month, it's that you do have control. Even when you don't think you do. You can get your life back. It's still yours to control."

"But I can't get him back," Melinda replied gently.

Kate chewed on her lower lip. "There's nothing I can say to remedy that," she agreed. "But you have a choice. You can sit here in this room, trapped by your own self-pity and resentment, or you can move forward and find a way to build from all this."

The pep talk wasn't much different from those Melinda had heard from others. But Kate's words were denser, heavier, and echoed with more bluntness. And something about all that her cousin had been through in the last three weeks brought Melinda a new level of respect for her. She managed a weak smile. "Thank you," she said.

"Of course," Kate smirked back. "I know I've missed a lot but I'm here now. And though we weren't the closest, maybe we can help each other."

"I'd like that," Melinda replied, swallowing down a small pit of emotion. "You've changed, you know? You're like the old Kate but wiser or something."

"I don't know if I've reached wise status yet but I'd like to think I've changed for the better," she chuckled. Kate's hazel eyes lightened as if speckled with gold. "I know it doesn't seem like it now but when you get through this, the same thing will happen to you. You'll change."

"What if I don't want to change?" Melinda asked.

Kate tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. It was the same question that bullied her while she struggled through rehab and temptation and depression. It was one she still couldn't answer. But for Melinda and especially for herself, she'd fake it. "You'll be okay, Mel," she told her. "I promise."

* * *

Gage Carlisle Jenkins was the embodiment of all that his mother once thought impossible. Nearly thirty years ago when Billie Jenkins betrayed the Charmed Ones by joining her crazed sister Christy, she was certain her fate was bound to be one of only terror. And when it all came crashing down, Billie was hopeless, depressed, and alone.

But that wasn't the end of her tale.

She was pulled from the rubble of her own disaster by none other than the women she fought to bring down. The Halliwell sisters didn't give up on her. And slowly, carefully, she healed again. Helping her in the process was none other than Brandon. The mortal swooped her off her feet, accepted her for every flaw, held her through every moment of mourning, and made her for the first time since finding her sister, hope for something great again. In many ways he reminded her of her father, a man she once admired but had also been brought to ashes by her calling.

It wasn't long before Billie was pregnant. Though Gage was born out of wedlock, he was brought into a home of intense love and loyalty. His father worked hard to make ends meet while Billie fumbled her way through not only raising a son but a witch. Carson was born two years later but from an early age, Gage sensed that it wasn't his younger brother who concerned Billie as greatly – it was him.

Being a firestarter, born with the same forceful power as Christy Jenkins, brought a strange sense of doom over him even as a young boy. While Billie loved Gage with her entire heart, he also knew she feared him. She watched him like a ticking time bomb, desperate to make sure he didn't fall prey to the same tendencies as his ruthless, flawed aunt. Through childhood it was an almost weekly reminder of the differences between good and evil, using one's powers for the right reasons, and later the foreboding tale of Christy Jenkins' fall.

Despite the history behind his Wiccan lineage, Gage's upbringing was rather uneventful. He was never one for school like his brother Carson and did his best to scrape by unnoticed. He played football, mastered his powers in secret, and later found a job working in a body shop out of high school. It was a rather unexciting, uneventful life to lead for a witch.

Though he confided it in very few people, he too lived with the same fear as his mother. In many ways it explained the quiet, careful tendencies of the now twenty-six year old. With every vanquish and demonic spar, he worried the day would come when the rush of power and adrenaline would overtake him.

It's why Lila Halliwell seemed to exist as his perfect match. She was a force of positive energy and passion, always reminding him of his goodness, pushing him to succeed, and to enjoy his calling. She was fire and he was ice, making their union one of balance and harmony. Asking her out had been one of the more daring things he'd done in his life and since having her by his side, a new persona of confidence and strength soon took the place of his hesitant ways. She was his light and he was her rock. Together it seemed they could master any hardship.

"We're getting married!" Lila skipped happily ahead of him. They walked through the busy San Francisco streets, wind flapping their jackets and hair. Gage grinned at her enthusiasm, watching as she waved the paper in her hand. She stopped and laughed as she waited for him to catch up with her. "It's really going to happen, can you believe it?"

"Yes I can," Gage smirked. She easily fit herself into his arms and he pecked her lips. "Do you think your family is going to be okay with it? A month isn't very long to plan a wedding."

"They'll deal with it," Lila replied as the two continued on their stroll. They held hands on their path, easily making their way out of the city and into the quieter neighborhood areas. "Besides, you can't blame us for jumping on it. How many times does a spot open up like that?"

"You know I was wondering the same thing. You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?" Gage asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gage, I'm appalled you would even think that of me!" she scolded with a laugh. "I am a Charmed One now and very sensitive about the implications of personal gain."

He tried to keep from chuckling at her vigor. "You're right, I was out of line," he winked.

"Yes, you were," Lila smiled. She glanced over her shoulder before pushing him into a small patch of shrubbery on the sidewalk. She pressed her lips to his and Gage eagerly wrapped his arms around her small waist. The excitement of their upcoming nuptials certainly made their relationship more romantic and steamy as of late. When they pulled away from their kiss, she grinned. "I think securing a wedding date calls for some celebration…"

"And what would you have in mind?" Gage asked.

Lila looped her arms around his broad neck and scanned their surroundings one last time. Out of sight from any mortal bystanders, she latched her lips onto his and with careful precision, captured them in a pink glow and transported them far from the city.

The couple was still clasped in their embrace when they landed in her living room. The hue abruptly fell down around them and almost instantly the space filled with a terrified gasp. Lila opened her eyes and snapped her head in time to find her older sister frantically flicking her hands, freezing the room in desperation.

"Oh my God," Lila's mouth dropped in surprise.

Laura's cheeks were bright red with embarrassment as she maneuvered on top of a now frozen James Clement. Her brown hair was tousled, her hazel eyes were wide, and her chest was bare as she desperately grabbed a throw pillow to hold to her front.

"Look away!" Lila said, smacking her hands over Gage's eyes. He blindly turned his back to the sisters who quickly took to shrieking.

"What the hell are you doing?" Laura shouted.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Lila yelled back. Her large, brown eyes were both wide in outrage and amusement.

"You can't just teleport in like that!" Laura stammered. Horror painted her face as heaving breaths overtook her. Anxiety flushed through her cheeks and she was soon doing her best to avoid a panic attack.

"You can't just shack up on the couch," Lila scolded.

"What about that time you two did it in the kitchen," Laura argued.

"That was one time!" Gage put in, his back still to the girls.

"How do you even know about that? Lucy just can't keep her mouth shut," Lila growled.

"Okay, how about we figure out a way to take care of this?" Gage suggested.

"I have an idea – you two can use the door like normal people!" Laura yelled. She was panting incessantly now, fanning herself with one hand while she covered herself with the other.

"Okay, okay, just breathe," Lila sighed. "We'll get out of your hair. And seriously, find a shirt…"

Laura watched as her sister and Gage exited in a fast pink flash and sighed. She frantically looked back down at James who was still frozen and unknowing. Ever since their reunion a week ago, there had been many after work trysts. They'd missed each other in their time apart and were already making up for the longing separation instilled. If one thing was true it was that distance certainly made the heart grow fonder.

And still the pressure loomed of revealing herself and her powers. Soon they'd be exactly where they started, at the same crossroads that tore them apart. Laura knew the time was coming for her to make a choice. A choice between James and keeping her secret. It was almost as sacred and fearsome as marriage itself.

Collecting herself as quickly as she could, Laura tossed the pillow aside and did her best to reposition herself on top of him in the same way they were before Lila and Gage interrupted. She pulled a shaky breath and then flicked her hands, sending him back into motion. He tried to proceed with the kiss he'd been about to make but missed Laura's cheek by a few inches. His brow furrowed. "What the hell?" he muttered.

"Did you hear that?" Laura interrupted, pulling up from him. He was clearly disoriented and Laura hadn't made it the smoothest transition for him but she hoped the chaos of Lila and Gage's arrival would erase any unease.

"Hear what?" James asked.

"We're home!" Lila announced loudly. Laura rolled her eyes at Lila's blatant announcement. "Anyone here?"

Laura grabbed her bra and shirt while James frantically buttoned up his own. Lila entered, leading Gage who kept hands over his eyes in order to avoid another mishap. "James, Laura, I didn't expect to find you two here," Lila said with a dramatic flair.

"You can uncover your eyes Gage," Laura told him.

"Lila, it's good to see you again," James smiled, eager for any interaction with the Halliwells.

"Always a pleasure to see you too," Lila replied. "You remember my fiancée Gage?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, happily shaking Gage's hand. "Congratulations by the way. Have you two set a date?"

"We just did actually," Gage nodded.

"April 6th," Lila grinned.

"That's a month away," Laura said in shock.

"I know it's great isn't it?"

Interrupting the uncomfortable foursome was the harsh ring of James' beeper. Laura nearly sighed in relief as he checked the device. "I guess I should get going," he said. "It was nice to see you both again."

"You're always welcome here," Lila grinned.

"I'll see you later," James said, kissing Laura, grabbing his jacket, and quickly whisking out. When the front door shut, Laura gave a sigh in relief and flopped down on the couch. No sooner than his departure, however, was the sneaky arrival of another.

"Thank God, I thought he wasn't going to leave," Chris groaned, popping up from behind one of the couches. Lila shrieked in surprise and Gage instantly chuckled. Laura only became more outraged.

"How long have you been back there?" she shouted.

"Since you and Lila started screaming at each other. Nice pillow by the way…"

"No!" Laura shrieked. She paced the floor, shaking her head in outrage. "This has to stop! We are setting boundaries! James is a mortal and that means that people can't magically appear whenever they please…"

"Or you could just tell him already," Lila sighed, flopping down into an armchair.

"It's not that easy, Lila," she growled. "We're not like you and Gage who can just teleport around the city and cast spells together…."

"Listen, it's not my fault you're scared of commitment and can't tell him."

"You have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Okay! I have about fifteen minutes before I need to go back to work. Can we all just agree to use the front door?" Chris asked in frustration. The girls went silent. "Good. Now, where the hell is Lucy?"

"She's at work," Laura replied.

"At work?" Chris repeated.

"She started her internship today," Lila reminded him. "Don't worry about it, we'll get her later."

"Is she up to speed on the plan?"

"We all are because we've gone over it about a hundred times."

"You can never go over it too many times," Chris said. "Especially when this is technically your first vanquish without me or Wyatt and…"

"We can do it, Chris," Laura assured. "I already talked to aunt Piper and she gave me the rundown on when her and mom tracked down Belthazor."

"Right but the task is different and…"

"We know; we need his flesh in order to create the vanquishing potion. When the time presents itself, Laura freezes, Lucy slices, and we all teleport out and get cooking," Lila sighed.

Chris gave a slow nod, satisfied but still skeptical. After sleepless nights of tracking down their target, the girls were more ready than ever to execute their mission. And yet even with their confidence, Chris worried they still weren't ready. "If you run into more than one member of the Brotherhood, I want you to get out or if at any point you feel unsure," he said.

"We will," Laura told him.

"I'm surprised you don't want in on this one, Chris," Gage put in. He'd been quite while the Halliwells planned their attack – as was his habit when it concerned the family.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, tracking down the demon that attacked Melinda. I just thought you'd be eager to take a shot at the guy," Gage replied.

"That's exactly the reason he should stay out of it," Laura muttered. Chris met her eyes and she granted him a look of sympathy. In the last few days she'd done her best to be there for Chris and Wyatt. She was the only other member of the family to know of Piper's cancer and was doing everything possible to make the news easier. And yet no matter how often she attempted to comfort them, the pain was always there, deep and heartbreaking behind their eyes. "You doing okay?"

Chris gave a grim nod. "Yeah," he said. "Everything go well this morning?"

"Yeah, I can update you later if you want," she told him.

"How's the girlfriend Chris?" Lila cut in, oblivious to the gravity between her sister and cousin. Chris gritted his tooth and gave a long sigh.

"Lila," Laura scolded her sister.

"I'm taking care of it," Chris said.

"Well, good luck," Lila smirked.

Chris nodded. "The same to you," he said before quickly orbing out.

"He loves making epic exits, doesn't he?" Lila mused.

Laura rolled her eyes. "Come on; let's go get the problem child and do this thing."

* * *

Sam glanced at her phone for what seemed like the hundredth time. She was anxious for a call, desperate to be back at her sister's side and insure everything was going smoothly. Deep down she knew she was being ridiculous. Kate was a grown woman who didn't need to be watched and nurtured. The setback of the last few months had certainly been frightening but it didn't change the fact that Kate still deserved to be treated like an adult. Her sister was fiercely independent and stifling her was only likely to make her act out.

So instead Sam took to distraction. It was her most reliable strategy in crisis. Following Paige's death she's loaded herself up with work and taking care of Joey. And with Kate in rehab she quickly sank into tracking down their mother's killer and her relationship with Nick. Now as she was frazzled once more, she climbed the cement steps to her boyfriend's apartment, desperate for the same comfort.

She pounded on the heavy door, ignoring the rather shabby accommodations of Nick's neighborhood. He was a bachelor after all and to pay the rent he often filled in on construction jobs. The rest of his time was spent Underground or lurking in the shadows, tracking, fighting, and feeding what was more instinctual. In fact, it was strange to think that in their short time together, Sam still felt as though she knew very little about the man she often shared a bed with.

The door swiftly swung open and she faltered slightly at the sight of a man she didn't recognize. He stood tall and rather grizzly, quickly setting an unfriendly stare on her face. "I'm looking for Nick," she managed.

He said nothing and remained stuck in her path, not moving until a voice from inside drifted toward them. "Let her in Morax!"

Sam felt slight ease at Nick's voice but still shuddered as Morax watched her for a moment longer, appearing intimidating and foreboding in his place. He was bald with a tangle of blonde scruff along his angry jaw line. He wore all black and heavy combat boots. With a displeased look he stepped aside and allowed Sam to enter.

Nick was quick to greet her with a kiss but her enthusiasm to see him was replaced by fear and she only managed a peck on his mouth. Morax slammed the door, making Sam jump. "Sam this is my roommate Morax," Nick introduced them. The two stood across from each other and he only stared her down. "Morax this is Sam, the one I've told you about."

"Hi," Sam stammered. Morax offered nothing and swiftly yanked his trench coat from the hook near the door. Then after a prolonged glare set on Nick's face he shimmered out.

"Sorry about that," Nick sighed. He moved for the small kitchen quarters. "You hungry?"

Sam shook her head. "No," she mumbled. She lingered in her place as he rustled through the sink and began clearing the counters of dirty dishes. "Is he a demon?"

"Yeah; a manticore," Nick nodded. "We've known each other since we were teenagers. Sorry he was a little intense. He's very passionate about hating witches."

"Right, I didn't get that vibe at all," Sam said sarcastically, taking a seat at the counter. "You didn't tell me about him."

"I didn't think you'd like him," Nick replied.

"That doesn't matter. You live with the guy. These are things I should just know about you," Sam told him. "Besides, he seems to be the one who doesn't like me."

"Well, you are a Halliwell," he muttered.

"Nick…"

"I'm just kidding!" he cut her off, quickly moving toward her. He smiled and tenderly grabbed her small face into his hands. His brown eyes were pure and honest as they dove into hers. "I'm sorry. Listen, you don't have to worry about him. He knows to never hurt you…"

Sam gave a small frown. "And the rest of my family? Other witches?"

"I can't control everything he does," Nick replied.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Sam said. She pulled away from him and left the kitchen. Nick frowned as she entered the living room and stared out the window. Sam knew what she was getting into when she began dating Nick Rizzo. She didn't have the ignorant bliss her cousin had with Jack. She'd made a conscious, whole hearted choice, and in some ways it was more frightening than not knowing. They were of different worlds and philosophies – but she wanted to believe it would work. She had to believe it would work.

"We knew this wouldn't be easy," Nick told her gently. He stood behind her and carefully wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder. She nearly melted under his touch, warming at his strong form and familiar scent. "I care about you and I've never been this happy. That's why I'm not going to give up."

"You make me my happiest too," Sam confessed. She turned in his arms and faced his caring face. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But I lay awake at night thinking of everything that's wrong…"

"But that's your problem, Sam," Nick said. "That's always your problem. You spend so much time worrying about everyone else and what could happen and what you'll have to do that you don't get to smile at everything that's right. At everything that makes you happy. I can't promise that we're going to work. I can't promise that I won't find myself against the lines of good and you won't fight against my people. But I can promise I'll always try to make you happy and I'll do anything to keep you safe. I think we can make this work but you can't live in constant fear or it's not worth any of the good we have."

Sam's mouth lifted in a slow smile. She swallowed hard. "You always know how to make me feel better," she told him. She ran a finger down his strong chest. "But I'm not going to be able to relax until I know more about you, Nick. You didn't even tell me you were living with another manticore. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all."

"You know me," Nick said. "Besides, look at your cousin – she thought she knew everything about Jack."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sam asked. "In fact, the entire situation with her and Jack is exactly what has put me on edge."

"I'm just saying that you know all you need to know. I'm a demon and I've owned up to that. It means there are a lot of things you don't need to hear or witness," Nick told her.

"Like what?"

Nick sighed and released his hold around her waist. "Are you trying to start a fight?"

"I'm not trying to start a fight, Nick," Sam glared, growing more frustrated. "I just want to know where you stand."

"You know where I stand," Nick replied quickly.

"Not when a terrifying demon answers your door. He looked like he wanted to kill me!"

"That's not my fault!" he exclaimed.

"I want to know things, Nick. Why won't you tell me?" she continued more passionately. She didn't know where it was coming from. But suddenly all the anxiety and uncertainty was pressing her from inside and she was prepared to burst.

"Know what?" he shouted.

"How many times do you consult with your coven? How many of them know about us? How many good creatures do you kill? How many witches?" Sam rattled off.

Nick shook his head. "We're not having this conversation…"

"Why won't you meet my family?" she asked him.

"What?"

"Why won't you meet them? I've invited you several times. And all you say is that it's not a good idea…"

"It's not!"

"But you won't even try it! They know about us and they wouldn't hurt you because they know you're important to me!"

Nick was pacing now, breathing heavily with fury. "You want to know why?" he barked.

"Yes!"

"Because your mother and aunts killed my mother!" Nick shouted. Sam's face fell in horror. He shook his head and tightened his jaw. "You happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Nick, I …"

"You wanted to know, so I'll tell you," he glared. "My mother was a monster but she was still my mother. Your mother and aunts did what they thought was right and they got me to my father and I supposed I appreciate that. He raised me with all the values that you were raised with. But do you know who killed him? In the end, do you know who killed the last of my kin?"

"Who?" Sam asked softly.

"A witch. A witch who was tracking a manticore and scryed and landed on my house. And when she got there, when she prepared to kill me, my father died protecting me. He died right in front of me and you know what I did? I killed that witch. And I've killed many others after her."

"Nick, I'm sorry," she whispered gently. Sam stepped for him, tears behind her brown eyes, but Nick took a step back. He swallowed hard as he met her face.

"I don't believe in the same things you do, Sam. I never will. Too much has happened for it to be that simple. I spent time with my mother's old coven and I learned things about myself and my kind that I'd never understood before. But most of all I learned I'm not just human and I'm not just a manticore and I will never be able to choose one side of myself," he said. "I have my own code and I terminate who I see fit, when I see it fit. Good witches are just as capable of hurting people as others. But it hasn't stopped me from caring about you."

Sam sniffled and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she managed weakly.

"It's not your fault," he said hoarsely. "I'm sorry if this ruins things between us."

"It doesn't ruin things, Nick," Sam assured, wiping her eyes. "I know it's messed up but I'm just glad I know now. You don't understand how badly I want to know you…how badly I want to know every part of you."

She closed the space between them and ran a few fingers down his dark face. "Thank you," he whispered.

Sam replied with a gentle kiss. And while fear and disquiet stormed through her chest, she still felt warm in his arms. But the knowledge brought a deeper threat. She only hoped they could continue to hold on.

* * *

_He was in the attic again, among the dust and boxes. Only the small flame from his lighter brought illumination among the darkness, allowing him to stumble toward the familiar olive green chest. Joey quickly fell to his knees once he was in front of his and frantically began rifling through the items. Henry Sr.'s belongings were still neatly folded and piled into the chest. But this time they failed to hold his interest. This time he was determined to find the very thing that made his heart race and adrenaline warm his veins. _

_They greeted him at the bottom of the trunk. He reached out but hesitated just before picking them up. He remembered the hurt and burning that he was previously greeted with. But then propelled but more than just curiosity but determination he pulled a stone from the chest. It burned his hand, ached through his bones and made him grit his teeth. _

_Joey dropped the lighter but continued clinging to the stone in his right palm. In fact, it seemed he could no longer let go. The pain was excruciating but he needed it. He felt no desire to let go. A strong force began working through his limbs and in a powerful, uncontrollable jerk he was pushed to the floorboards of the attic. He stared up at the ceiling, withstanding the pain as he continued to hold onto the stone._

_He could feel something happening. It tingled in his toes and up his shins. The lightness radiated in his knees and groin and hips. His stomach tumbled in almost nauseous circles and his chest contracted as if hugged by too much pressure. And then finally his head became light as if he'd experienced a high much greater than those granted by drugs or alcohol. The pain was gone. _

_Joey carefully sat up, dazed and pleased and nearly unconscious. He kept his fist tight around the stone but suddenly his left hand was prickled by a foreign sensation. He glanced down and slowly brought the palm up. His entire hand was covered in white, electric, moving light. It morphed and grew on his hand until suddenly rolling itself into a tight sphere. He recognized it as an energy ball but of a different white hue. Joey's eyes widened. He had powers. He could feel it in every inch and bone. But he didn't just feel gifted – he felt unstoppable. _

_With lightness and agility Joey got to his feet. He still held the energy ball and stone. And as he caught a glance of himself in the dusted mirror in the corner, he saw his eyes glow a disturbing, sapphire blue. In shock he dropped the stone to the floor. _

Joey bolted up from the couch, panting for breath as he glanced around the apartment. He was drenched in sweat, heart racing from the realistic dream. He stared down at his hands, relieved to find neither of them glowing with orbs. And yet as he moved the fingers in his right hand he was surprised to find a slight twinge.

He jumped when a loud knock rattled the front door. He wondered how long the visitor had been knocking as he scrambled up from the couch. "Coming!" he shouted. Ever since she was released from the hospital Melinda had been staying at the manor being nursed back to health, leaving Joey to an empty apartment. With his most recent dream about the stones – his third that week – he was beginning to think perhaps the loneliness was beginning to get to him.

Joey's face dropped when he opened the front door. "Jack," he said. His brow dipped in simultaneous confusion and disapproval. "What are you doing here?"

"You said I could pick up some of my stuff," Jack reminded him.

"Right," Joey nodded hesitantly. "Well, I wasn't expecting you now. I was going to make sure someone else was here when you came in case…"

"What? I tried to kill you?" Jack asked. He was rougher than Joey remembered. He was tired and unkempt looking. He had a light beard and his hair was a mess.

"Let's just get this over with," Joey sighed, opening the door wider. Jack shuffled in, empty box in hand. Together the two men headed for Melinda's unoccupied room. Jack paused for a moment at the doorway and attempted to hide the pain from his otherwise empty face. "Don't steal anything."

"I'm not a criminal," Jack said, entering the room. Melinda always kept the space tidy and since her absence it felt like a morgue or hotel room.

"That would be an improvement for you," Joey glared. From the beginning he'd hated Jack Mason. Now that there was confirmation of the man being evil and demonic, his suspicions were finally justified. But in some strange way, the revelation had in fact made Joey less wary of Jack. He watched as the man grabbed a few books from Melinda's desk. He pulled open her drawers and withdrew some t-shirts and a pair of boxers. Joey tried to remain unaffected by Jack's pitiful nature.

"How is she?" Jack asked.

"She's healing," Joey replied coldly. Jack gave a grim nod. He paused at a photograph of the two of them framed on Melinda's dresser.

"I miss her," he mumbled.

Joey sighed. "You get everything you need?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jack nodded. He closed up the box and slowly exited the room. Joey closed the door behind him. He watched as Jack nearly reached the front door and with a grimace and a curse under his breath, he cleared his throat.

"Hey Jack," he said. "You want a beer?"

Jack's strides halted and he turned. "Are you trying to poison me?"

"No," Joey replied. "Though that wouldn't be a bad idea."

"It's probably best if I don't stay here very long," Jack decided gently. "But I appreciate it."

"Yeah," Joey nodded. He gave an awkward sigh. "I heard you're still working at the Bay Mirror with Sam. We were all surprised. I thought that was just a cover."

"It's a job," Jack replied. "There's not much use for me now that I'm not leading the Brotherhood."

"You got fired?" Joey asked.

"Well, in the Underworld they just kill you," he said. "But I suppose I got lucky. Of course, I don't feel very lucky."

"You should feel lucky Wyatt and Chris and every other Halliwell hasn't killed you," Joey told him.

"Perhaps someone should. It feels like some sort of absurd purgatory here," Jack chuckled. He adjusted the box under his arm. "It was good knowing you Joey."

He watched as Jack turned his back and again found the urge to call out. "She's sad, Jack," Joey confessed. Jack remained motionless at the door. "She's the saddest I've ever seen her. She misses you. No one in the family will touch you because they know it would kill her. She's hurting too. I don't like you all that much, and I know you're not supposed to be good for her, but I thought you should know."

Jack pulled in a long breath. He glanced over his shoulder and managed a sad smirk. "Thank you."

"Yeah," he nodded. The door slammed with Jack's exit and Joey shook his head and groaned. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

* * *

"What are you thinking?"

Piper Halliwell watched as her younger sister remained stationary in her spot on the sofa, legs curled beneath her, stare set on the floor, and a few nails trapped between her teeth. Phoebe had just finished recounting all that had taken place with Cole at the bookstore that afternoon but seemed anything but relieved about getting the news off her chest. She shook her head.

"I just can't understand what he could want. He's not trying to hurt us. He's just trying to help us," Phoebe mused distantly.

"Yes and we've thought that many times before," Piper said. "Cole's only attempting to stay close and I for one refuse to trust any motive he gives."

"But why now? He's had plenty of time to come forward and hurt us," Phoebe replied, her brown eyes flickering with hope.

"Your daughters are the Charmed Ones now for starters," Piper reminded her coldly. "And I also don't find it a coincidence that his demon spawn of a son failed in his part to take down the family. I'm sure Cole is only here to clean up his mess."

"I wouldn't necessarily call Jack Mason evil…"

"Phoebe…" Piper nearly growled.

"What? It's true," Phoebe replied. She watched as her sister rose from her seat and started to pace. Her footsteps echoed throughout the rather quiet manor. "They fell in love, Piper. I don't think either of them intended to do it for the wrong reasons. Melinda is a big girl and…"

"Phoebe, the sooner this business with Jack Turner or Mason or whoever the hell he is, is over the better," she snapped.

Phoebe's brow furrowed in slight contempt. "It's not that easy," she said lowly.

"I can see that," Piper told her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That after everything Cole has put us through you still let him linger! There's still a part of you that won't give him up," Piper said.

"Piper, you don't know what the hell you're talking about," Phoebe glared. Her jaw hitched in outrage and she did her best to stay in control. It wasn't often that the two of them fought anymore but her older sister now danced the line of a rather sensitive subject.

"I can't have this right now, Phoebe," Piper continued sternly. "And if you wanted to do what's best for your daughters then…"

"Do not bring my girls into this!" she yelled.

"But you have already! You did 11 years ago!" Piper nearly shouted back. Her heart was racing and she instantly regretted what she'd said. She swallowed down hard.

Phoebe's face fell. "Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Piper apologized softly.

"You're damn right," Phoebe said, gathering her purse and jacket. Her cheeks were hot with rage and embarrassment. The truth of her divorce, the one that brought her shame and insomnia and humiliation was one she had only shared with her sisters. Sure the stress of her work as an author and Coop's constant absences as a father were certainly at the core of their issues fifteen years ago. But the final straw – the one that paralyzed them from repairing their relationship – was that deep down Coop always knew his wife was still in love with Cole Turner.

"Phoebe, don't please," Piper sighed, running a hand down her face.

"I know I messed up my marriage, but I don't need you to throw it in my face," she glared. She angrily turned on her heel in the foyer to face her sister. "I don't even know who you are anymore. You don't talk to me and ever since this thing with Melinda you're hell bent on riding everyone's ass! She fell in love with the wrong guy, it's happened to all of us."

"But it's not any guy, Phoebe," Piper replied. "I thought you could at least understand that. It was agony to watch you get your heartbroken, to see you become the Queen of the Underworld, to be betrayed…I won't have that happen to my daughter. Not now."

"What do you mean not now? I know it's hard to accept but we aren't the Charmed Ones anymore, okay? You just have to let it go already!" Phoebe shook her head.

"It's not about that!" Piper shouted.

"Then what is it?" Phoebe yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I have cancer!" Piper barked back. She anxiously caught her breath following the revelation. Phoebe's mouth instantly dropped and her eyes widened. And behind them, leaning on the banister for support was an equally horrified party.

"Mom?" Melinda breathed meekly.

Piper closed her eyes in regret, cursing her impulsiveness. She gave a long exhale before turning to face her daughter. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out like that."

"Piper, how long have you known?" Phoebe asked.

"A few weeks," she answered. She did her best to remain unemotional as she spoke, desperate to stay strong in front of her sister and daughter. "That's why I wanted you here today. I wanted to tell you before tonight."

Melinda tried to remain composed. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Because I didn't want to worry anyone and with how chaotic things have been lately it just didn't really seem like the time," Piper replied.

"Who else knows? Does Leo know?" Phoebe asked.

"Of course he knows," she confirmed. "Laura knows too. She caught me coming out of the oncology ward at the hospital. And the boys found out last week."

"What kind is it? What stage? What's your treatment plan?" Phoebe rambled with questions just to avoid the urge to crumble. The shock was more prevalent than fear for the time being. A tight pit overtook her stomach.

"Stage four lymphoma. I already met with my doctor and we've agreed to proceed with surgery followed by chemotherapy to remove some of the affected areas," Piper explained.

"Affected areas?" Phoebe repeated.

"My lungs and bone marrow," she said. "It's not as bad as it sounds, I promise…"

Biting down the harsh tremor of her lower lip, Phoebe quickly crossed the space between them in the foyer and threw her arms around Piper. She squeezed her tightly, desperately, fighting back the sting of tears that glossed her brown eyes. "Oh Piper," she managed in a hoarse whisper.

Piper hugged her back, pulling in deep breaths to keep her emotions in check. While she hated to share the terrible news with her younger sister, her thoughts were tangled with the other she had not meant to tell. As she kept Phoebe in a tight hold, Piper's gaze landed on Melinda who watched blankly from the stairs.

She'd intended to tell Melinda, especially since both Wyatt and Chris were aware of her illness, but with her recovery still in a fragile state and her depression following Jack's betrayal, she decided it was best to protect her daughter a little longer. Now as the two women locked gazes, struck by the grave reality confronting them both, Piper struggled to ignore the harsh pain in her heart. Cancer was a devastating adversary but bringing such desolation to her daughter's face felt worse than any diagnosis or treatment.

Phoebe was sniffling into her sister's shoulder when Melinda delicately turned on her heel, clinging to the banister as a makeshift support for her back to ascend upstairs. "Melinda," Piper called her. She paid her mother no mind and continued up the steps, ignoring the ache and struggle that came with each movement.

Phoebe pulled away from Piper in time to watch her niece hobble up the last stair. "I should talk to her," Piper whispered. Phoebe pulled her back with an arm.

"She needs a little time," she advised. A frown pulled down her face. "And so do you."

"I don't have any time, Pheebs. Don't you understand that?" Piper replied. "Believe it or not sometimes my neurotic tendencies are for good reason."

"You're going to have time, Piper, you understand _me_?" she told her seriously. "You're going to have plenty of time."

* * *

Christopher Perry Halliwell listened to the silence. The club was motionless and cold. A single glass of tequila sat in front of him. It was his second. He glanced at his watch. His eyes stung with hot tears.

Nothing was right anymore. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time anything seemed right. Paige was dead. His mother had cancer. His sister was wounded. And now he needed to kill his girlfriend. Many nights he wondered what allowed such travesty. What made him the unfortunate party? He wasn't one for pity but he was beginning to feel the stretch. For the first time he was beginning to think that perhaps he didn't have the strength.

It was a test – the cruelest of any test. He was becoming a martyr, a tragic hero, a lost soul before his own eyes. Chris could see himself falling and he knew he couldn't stop it. For the last two months it'd been a long trudge, a series of days, of hours, of moments to get through. He'd convinced himself that if only he could get to the next minute, everything would be okay. But it wasn't like that. With each moment it seemed that the escape and reprieve was moving farther away.

He was depressed. Chris always knew that. Perhaps he'd always been depressed. Perhaps it'd been long before Paige's death. He had anxiety and unbearable stress. There were nights of no sleep and days of no appetite. He fed himself with the promise of a new moment. With the promise that eventually he'd see beyond darkness.

But the beyond hadn't come. Instead he'd become grumpier, more restless, angry, paranoid, panicked, and hopeless. He needed a shrink. Of course, a shrink couldn't help him. Perhaps he needed drugs but he was too proud. He was too proud to over drink or self-medicate. He was too proud to admit his ailment and too proud to ask for help. He was too proud to sit in a dark room and stay in bed like he longed to every day. He was too proud to become suicidal or show his weakness. He was too proud to allow himself to be depressed even if he already was. His pride was always his greatest strength and vice.

So instead he tormented himself. Chris refused to allow himself to feel any of the emptiness or pain. He kept busy. He worked. He threw himself into everyone's problems. He tried to forget how to have feelings. He tried to be as little of himself as possible. He was just enough to be present but much farther than anyone else knew.

Chris threw back the rest of his tequila. The liquid burned down his chest. He was buzzed but not drunk. He knew if he got drunk he wouldn't be able to do what he needed to. He put the cap on the liquor after pouring one last drink. Then with one more breath of the stagnant, cold, depressed air he grabbed his phone. He dialed her numbers. And when she picked up he wanted to curse. He wished she wouldn't pick up. "Bianca, it's me. You want to meet me at the club in twenty? I think we need to talk."

She agreed. And rather than finish his drink, Chris took his glass and threw it to the floor, desperate just to hear it break.

* * *

_Hello all! Thank you for reading once more! I know it's been awhile so I thought i'd provide a longer installment this time. As always, I'm pretty busy with school as well as some other journalistic opportunities that definitely keep me writing and busy. I love coming back to this story because it's something I can write for fun and relax and develop characters. Most of all it's nice to put something out there that people enjoy reading. So with that in mind I'd love to hear from you! I threw a lot in this last chapter so let me know how it went over. Thanks for sticking with me ~ Sammy _


	38. Only Human : Segment 3

Before the overpowering assault took her away from consciousness Lucy Halliwell wished she would have ducked. Instead, she was suddenly thrown from her feet, completely weightless and terrified as she was stripped of gravity's reassurance. Her chest was weightless and she squeezed her eyes shut as she awaited the painful impact. Flames ate away at her flesh at her stomach and rather than cry out from the burning, she was forced silent by the blinding blow to her head. Her body was limp when it found the ground and on a bed of rock and ash, Lucy faced the notion that she was likely dead.

Dreams found her rather than peace. She was suddenly eleven again, knees pulled to her chest as she sat in her room of lavender and powder blue, scowling to keep the tears at bay. The young Lucy glared at the pages of yet another book, purposefully turning pages with vicious thunder. Her sisters were shouting. She could hear Lila's angry teenage steps crash down the hallway. "I don't want to spend Thanksgiving with you and this stupid family!" she screamed. "I want to be with dad! Why can't he be with us?"

"Because we're taking some time apart Lila, honey, we explained this to you," Phoebe tried as calmly as she could. Their voices were muffled behind Lucy's bedroom door.

"That's not fair!" Lila argued.

"You're being immature Lila," Laura put in dryly.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

Lucy jumped as the door of her bedroom was thrown open and quickly slammed shut. Lila was in the room and red with anger. "What do you want?" Lucy asked.

"I want my jacket back, I know you stole it," Lila told her.

"I didn't steal it!" Lucy shouted.

"Give it to me so I can leave this place!"

"Lila, come out here so we can talk!" Phoebe demanded from the hallway.

Lila was rifling through Lucy's closet and the youngest Halliwell quickly took to yanking at her sister's shirt to pull her away. The two flailed and shoved before the door opened again and fifteen year old Laura joined the chaos. "Mom wants me to talk to you, Lila," she groaned.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," Lila glared. She smacked Lucy's hand away from her hair and jerked away.

"Why are you being so dramatic about this? People get divorced."

"Not mom and dad. They're supposed to have true love," Lila snapped.

"True love doesn't exist," Laura sighed.

"Yes it does. Dad says…"

"I know what dad says but maybe he's wrong; he's the reason they're getting a divorce after all."

"Why do you have to talk about him like that?" Lila shouted. "It's mom's fault! She won't let him be with us! She's being unfair!"

Lucy breathed heavily as she watched her two older sisters. Their arguing was normal but it made her head pound and her chest hurt and she felt like screaming. It was always Phoebe versus Coop or Laura versus Lila – and Lucy was left to watch and listen. But this time, rather than watch quietly she sprinted for the door. Phoebe called after her as she ran through the living room but suddenly she was out of the condo and on the sidewalk, sprinting at full speed past the throngs of people. Her auburn hair flapped in the wind, blinding her every few steps, but suddenly she no longer felt like screaming. She was breathing evenly and though she didn't know where she was going, she felt safe. The first sweat broke but she kept going. She was alone. She was free.

It was the same freedom Lucy felt on the ground, feeling her life leave her body – waiting to die. She was disturbed from her dream by the voices of her sisters. The same voices that once tormented her childhood now echoed in her head. "Lucy! Lucy can you hear me!" Laura was screaming.

"We need to get her back," Lila whimpered.

Lucy tried to open her eyes. She wanted to see the damage, to assess how much blood she'd loss, and see their faces one last time. But she couldn't. She tried to speak but her mouth wouldn't open. She tried to move but she was still motionless. A male voice echoed distantly. "Go! Get her out of here! I'll take of this…"

She didn't hear anymore but suddenly she was more weightless. She was travelling among the stars and planes. And then she was dreaming again. This time she wasn't a scared eleven year old. This time there was a child. A baby. He grinned with fat cheeks and wide chocolate eyes. A few ringlets of dark hair fell across her forehead. The infant was being held, her chin resting on the shoulder of his mother, grinning at Lucy from afar. Suddenly the woman turned and Lucy could see her sister.

"You want aunt Lucy?" Lila cooed at the baby.

Lucy's eyes were wide and her mouth dropped as Lila brought the child over. She carefully took the boy into her arms while shaking her head in disbelief. "This is your baby?" she asked.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lila shook her head. "This is just training…"

At this Lila patted her stomach, showing subtle bump. Lucy's mouth dropped again and the baby sucked his fist, still grinning at her from his angle. She watched him for a moment, trying to pinpoint where she recognized the sweet face. "Then whose is he?"

Before Lila answered she took the baby back. Lucy looked down at her own stomach and a golden glow suddenly radiating from her. "Say bye-bye," Lila instructed the baby, waving his hand at Lucy. She swallowed hard and managed a weak wave back, before suddenly leaving the vision for darkness.

…**2 Hours Earlier… **

"Coffee?" a voice snapped her out of her daze. Lucy looked up in time to find Wilson McCleary standing above her, Styrofoam cup in hand. "Let me guess; extra cream, extra sugar."

"How'd you know that?" Lucy asked him, slowly taking the hot beverage. Wilson gave a bemused smirk.

"Just a lucky guess," he said. "How are your sketches going?"

"I think I have one down but it's mediocre at best. It's going to get torn to shreds," she replied, taking a slow sip of coffee. "You?"

"I think I've got a winner," Wilson smiled.

"Someone's conceited," she muttered.

"Confident," he replied. "I know you have the Stanford breeding on your side but Chicago is home of great American architecture …"

Lucy gave an exasperated sigh. "That is so interesting but I just remembered, I didn't ask you about it, did I?" she asked.

Wilson ignored her as he casually leaned back in his chair. They sat among the chaos of the drafting room, their own table already covered with drawings, computers, papers, and lunch. The third intern sketched frantically across from them while the pair took a moment to relax. "So you don't have a boyfriend," Wilson said.

"I didn't say that," Lucy told him.

"Just call me a psychic," he replied.

Lucy bit her tongue in order to repress a snarky comeback – one that would assert her psychic abilities over his. "I will not allow you that compliment," she glared. "But no, I don't."

"Good," Wilson smiled.

"Why good?"

"Well, I mean you and I will be seeing a lot of each other. A lot of late nights…"

Lucy gave a loud growl in outrage. "You're a pig! If you think that I'm ever going to think of sleeping with you, you are out of your mind…"

"Well, they say we're all a little out of our mind to go into this profession," Wilson winked. "But I didn't say anything about sleeping with you, red. I can understand why you'd be hopeful but this is a workplace environment and the implications of sleeping with you are just too large. I couldn't sacrifice my reputation…"

"You think you're so funny, don't you?" Lucy glared.

"Yes," he nodded.

"I can see why you're single," she told him.

"And I can see why you're single," Wilson quipped. "Now, I just have one question; does the carpet match the drapes?"

"I swear to God, I am not going to deal with your snide remarks and cocky attitude and let you go on thinking your charming because for the record that's sexual harassment!"

"Lucy!"

She cringed at the booming voice of her older sister, hair rising on the back of her neck while Lila approached. She prayed that it was only a figment of her imagination but the powerful stomp of her sister's step was unmistakable.

"We've been looking all over for you," Lila sighed. Laura was at her side, quiet but authoritative.

"What are you guys doing here?" Lucy hissed.

"You were supposed to meet us half an hour ago," Laura told her.

"Lucy, you didn't tell me you have such lovely sisters," Wilson smiled.

"Shut up, Wilson," Lucy glared at him.

"That' no way to talk to our friend; I'm Lila by the way, and you are?"

"Okay, let's go before I vomit," Lucy said, frantically standing up from her seat and swiping her jacket. She stuck her tongue out at Wilson before nudging her two sisters toward the door. She gave an unhappy scowl as they left the draft room. "You guys can't just show up to my work like that."

"We called you several times," Laura told her. "You know we have a demon to take care of."

"And I have work to take care of. I'm going to be up all night now," Lucy sighed.

"Welcome to being Charmed," Laura said. "I don't think I've slept since we became the Power of Three."

"Who's Wilson? He was cute," Lila told her sister as the three girls stopped by the elevators. Lucy angrily smashed the button to for a lift up.

"He's a pig," she replied.

"I bet he fills out a suit nicely. You should bring him to the wedding," Lila decided.

"You don't even have a date yet," Lucy rolled her eyes as the elevator gave a loud ring. The doors slid open and the Charmed Ones quickly stepped on.

"April 6th," Lila said with a grin.

"That's in a month," she said in awe.

"So much planning, so little time," Lila grinned. "I was thinking of a peach color scheme, what do you think?"

"I think we need to take care of this demon and worry about your wedding later," Laura sighed.

"You're such a buzz kill," she groaned in response.

The elevator stopped at the roof and the three girls casually exited when the door slid open. Wind tore across the city in a springtime blitz, blowing over their matching, bountiful locks of hair. They were alone at the top of the office building, left to the gray San Francisco skyline. Laura gave an unhappy exhale, "Let's get going," she said.

The three of them clasped hands and in a subtle pink flash, quickly disappeared from the city.

* * *

She descended the stairs slowly. Chris wondered if she did it on purpose, to torture him with each step. Her slender but toned form moved toward him like a dream. It made him ache and shiver just on a single glance just as powerfully as it did when they were in bed. Full lips, chocolate hair, toasty skin, and almond eyes completed what he considered perfection. Chris wasn't one to go after looks but from the very start Bianca made him swoon.

But she was missing something. She was hard. She was distant. Perhaps that's why Chris liked her as well. She was different. She was durable and rough – the exact support he needed in his rather chaotic world. All of the relationships he'd been in before failed as he was unable to nurture and comfort his significant other. But this was perfect. Bianca was a strong, sexy, and confident woman. She could handle him. In fact, she could handle him so much, that Chris had lost his handle on her.

"Why'd you want to meet here?" Bianca asked him bluntly. The heavy club door slammed shut behind her from above and she easily met Chris at the bar. Her heels clicked on the hard ground. Her glossy pink lips curved into a confident smile. "This is the part where the boyfriend kills the girlfriend. Empty, secluded, soundproof area – usually she's figured out he's a rapist or a serial killer by now."

"Is that what you've figured out about me, detective?" Chris asked. He wanted to smile. He wanted to allow himself to feel the light, giddiness he usually did when she poked fun at him. But he couldn't. He was dry and distant, out of his body, head pounding from the vodka and nerves.

"Not exactly; you're a work in progress," she replied more coolly this time. Bianca could sense his distance. Her eyes narrowed slightly as if focusing on him more closely. She wore a white blouse and charcoal business skirt. She'd been stuck at the station with paperwork all day and since receiving Chris' call had been unable to focus on anything. Bianca still had yet to figure out her feelings. In fact, she hated to admit to herself that she was more worried he was about to break up with her than that he'd perhaps figured out her secret. "What is it Chris? Is it your mom?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Well, you're starting to freak me out. What did you want to talk about?" Bianca sighed. At this Chris reached across the bar and grabbed her hand into his. He was desperate, sullen, and nearly quivering as he touched her skin. Bianca swallowed hard, trying to understand the pain behind his trouble face. "Chris, honey what is it?"

With a sharp inhale as if bracing for cold water or punishment, Chris pushed up the sleeve of her blouse and flipped over her palm to reveal the inside of her wrist. The mark of the Phoenix was between them, proud and dark on her skin. Bianca's mouth dropped and Chris's emerald eyes dove accusingly into hers. "You're a Phoenix."

She pulled her hand back. "It's a birthmark."

"The mark of an assassin witch," Chris said coldly. She shook her head but before she could speak Chris came through with fury. "Don't try to lie to me. I know what you're doing. I know what you're out to accomplish."

Bianca's jaw hitched with anger of her own. She didn't like defeat. She didn't like being called out. Not like this. "How?" she asked.

"I overhead Jack talking to you at the hospital," he replied. "Malum sent you to kill me."

"Pretty smart for a Halliwell," Bianca said. She sighed. "It was fun while it lasted, I suppose."

Chris watched as she turned on a heel, slowly slinking away from the bar. He was steaming now, heart racing beneath his chest. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm leaving," she told him. "What else am I supposed to do?"

"Kill me?"

"I can't do that," Bianca revealed. Chris was already behind her, a hand on her shoulder, yanking her back to face him. She pushed him away from her. "What are you doing?"

"That's all you have to say to me? I find out you're a Phoenix and that's it?"

"What? You want me to kill you?" Bianca yelled. "You want us to duke it out here?"

"I want you to care!" Chris shouted. He was breathing heavily, voice shaking as he set eyes on her. "I want to know that this meant something to you. Was I just a job?"

"Why does it matter? It doesn't make a difference!" Bianca growled.

"It does matter! It does make a difference! Because for the last two months I thought I had something with you," Chris said. "And if you just walk away – if you aren't going to try to follow through with this – then you played with my heart for nothing."

"Why are you doing this?" she shouted. "I'm a Phoenix! That means I can't have feelings for you! And now that you know, you can't have feelings for me, understand?"

"It's not that easy!"

"It is! And why is the pressure suddenly on me to kill you when you have just as much motive to kill me!"

"Because I love you!" Chris yelled. He swallowed down the trembling lump in his throat and viciously ran his hands down his face. "I am in love with you Bianca!"

"Don't say that…" she shook her head frantically.

"I love you and I think you're in love with me too," he continued.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Bianca hissed.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about," Chris said lowly. He stepped toward her, smelling of alcohol, battered by emotion and warm anticipation. This wasn't the fight he meant to choose. But this was where he took his place and he couldn't back down. Bianca stared up at him, her cold front wavering beneath his warmth like it always did. "Tell me you don't love me."

Bianca trembled as his breath hit her face. "I don't," she managed, unable to repeat the exact words. She should have left. It was weakness enough to not kill him on the spot when he confronted her with the truth. Every second in the club was further proof that she was under his spell.

"Prove it," Chris challenged.

She shook her head. "You're pathetic."

"You're a liar," he challenged back. "And even worse – a coward."

It was like going from 0 to 100. Chris should have known better than to finger such a hot button. In an instant Bianca had pulled a blade from the holder up her skirt and brought the edge to his neck. "Don't you ever call me that," she hissed seriously. Chris twitched under the threat of her knife but felt remarkably pleased at the action. Bianca was showing emotion now – angry, scared, raw emotion.

"I'm sorry, coward…"

Chris was met with a fast blow to the face. Bianca's fist moved like a hot iron, simultaneously knocking him across the jaw and slicing the blade through his skin. When he recovered she was a few feet away, stiffened like a cat, ready for anything he had up his sleeve. They exchanged glances for a moment. Chris could taste blood in his mouth. It was fuel to the rage he couldn't express. She'd betrayed him, lied to him, and been one more disappointment in his fucked up life. She deserved his wrath. Without much remorse he threw out an arm, throwing her from her feet with his telekinesis.

Bianca hit the back wall but managed the blow expertly. The momentum from her fall had her up to her feet with quickness and before Chris could prepare his next move, Bianca threw her knife across the room. Chris stepped away from the fast blade not a second too soon, allowing it to whisk by him with its point prepared for impact. When he glanced back to find Bianca she was gone. He tensed, muscles tight and ready, before suddenly the warm mass of her body pressed into his back. She shimmered in behind him, wrapped an angry forearm around his neck, and teased his throat with her blade.

"You're slow, Chris," she told him. "I always expected you to be faster…"

Chris threw his head back and Bianca stumbled. The impact of his skull against her nose was gruesome and she focused intensely on not seeing white. He threw a fist at her as he turned but Bianca easily ducked, jabbing him in the side. Chris grunted at the blow and she quickly grabbed him by the shoulders, throwing her knee into his groin. He gasped, instantly going to his knees. Bianca prepared to strike him with a kick and he grabbed her ankle, tripping her to the floor. Chris threw himself at her, pinning her arms down as she flailed. She spit in his face and Chris slapped her cheek.

Blood ran from her nose from the earlier blow while a viscous line of scarlet marked his cheek. She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt into her hands, doing anything she could to fight under his strength. Chris went for her throat, choking her with fury. As she lost air, Bianca struck toward Chris' face, doing her best to ease the tension. She clawed at his eyes and as Chris groaned and lost his grip, Bianca rolled on top of him. The Phoenix quickly landed two punches to his face, pressing her foot to his abdomen as she got up to her feet.

She staggered once standing, still coughing from her brush with loss of oxygen. Their panting filled the air and as Chris crawled up from the floor, already swollen and bloody, Bianca grabbed a nearby chair. Without any remorse she slammed the heavy furniture across his side, breaking the legs against his ribs. Chris cried out at the attack, resisting the urge to faint at such pain. Instead he hunched over, using only survival instinct to throw Bianca across the room with his telekinesis.

He could hear her rattle into a collection of tables near the stage. Chris wheezed uneasily, tears in his eyes at the burning pain and dark crimson blood so prevalent on his face that he couldn't identify the source. Deeper rage filled the place of uncertainty and depression he previously felt. Running on pure adrenaline and anger, Chris stomped to Bianca's landing place. As she tumbled among the chairs and tables, Chris grunted out a desperate object. "Lights," he said.

The lights above the stage were absorbed in orbs and quickly sent hurling down at his beau. Bianca managed to roll out of the way of the falling object, but glass and metal went in all directions, smacking against her bare skin and face. Chris was mad now – terrified even of himself. All the pain, all the fury he felt from the last few weeks was coming to a head. The stress of Piper's cancer, Melinda's near death, Paige's death, Kate's alcoholism, the Charmed One's duties, his brother's secrets, and his own inadequacies, suddenly had him on the verge of madness. "Speakers!" he called again, lifting the heavy equipment from the stage and sending it toward Bianca.

This time she shimmered out of the way and subconsciously Chris was grateful he hadn't hurt her in his temporary wrath. He felt her reappear a distance behind him and from all his years of battling demons, sensed the electricity of an energy ball coming at his head. Chris quickly ducked, feeling the blue charge skim the top of his brown hair. He swiveled around to find her but Bianca shimmered out as soon as he set eyes on her.

Chris danced around, turning his head in every direction, tripping on his own feet as he went backwards. He wiped the blood from his mouth on his sleeve and took the moment to catch his breath. When she appeared again a hot energy ball was already prepared in her palm and she fired at him without a pause. The blow grazed his bicep and Chris groaned, livened by the harsh wound. Bianca already had another energy ball and Chris weakly raised his good arm, calling with barely any breath in his chest. "Energy ball!"

He launched it across the room back at her, unaware that Bianca had done the same with a fresh ball of blue mayhem. The two energy balls collided between them, sending a terrifying force in both directions. It knocked Chris from his feet, throwing him back behind the bar and crashing into the shelves of liquor bottles. Bianca went flying in the other direction, knocking head first into a wall and landing limp onto a table that broke beneath her weight.

And then the club went silent.

* * *

Wyatt gave a long sigh as soon as he landed in the comforts of the Pent House. His neck and feet throbbed from seven straight hours of cooking and managing the Triquetra. He unsnapped the collar of his chef's jacket, shirking his shoulders out of the constricting white uniform. Wyatt wasn't one to allow fatigue or stress to wear him down so aggressively, but lately he was beginning to feel the stretch. So much tension and uncertainty surrounded his mother, Chris, and Melinda that he could hardly stand it. They were all in desperate need of a cleanse from the chaos; a cleanse they didn't have the time for.

At times he felt guilty for not doing more. But part of Wyatt's gift was his patience and his willingness to sit back from the battle while others threw themselves in. It hadn't always been this way. It'd taken many daring years – especially through his twenties – until he began to understand that his role in the universe wasn't pursuing problems or fixing mayhem. Enough of that came on it's own time without any prodding, so he now took to waiting for the trouble to find him. He only hoped Chris would learn the same philosophy soon.

As he ran the sink and splashed cool water on his face, Wyatt was interrupted by a knock on the door. He eagerly patted down his cheeks before reaching the foyer, towel slung over his shoulder. A large arrangement of flowers greeted him on the other side of the door. A pair of shocking green eyes stared at him from between the petals and stems and Wyatt gave a wide grin.

"Those aren't for me are they?" he asked.

"Don't be silly," the man answered. He lowered the vase and stepped inside. "Your brother home?"

"No, he's out," Wyatt smiled.

"Good," he replied, setting the flowers down on the kitchen table. Wyatt's heart fluttered as he closed the space between them and in an instant the two were locked in a kiss.

Zander Crosley was Wyatt's boyfriend of seven months – one of the longest relationships he'd ever been in. The two had known each other for quite some time. Zander owned and operated his own business as a florist, and the Triquetra was a frequent client. While he took notice of Wyatt from the start while delivering arrangements, it'd taken the chef much longer to express his own interest. After all, keeping his sexuality secret from his family never made it easy to scope out a partner. Wyatt's love life usually consisted of brief periods of dating, never intimate, never too long, and for those reasons, almost always unsatisfying.

That's why Zander was different. He was open and enthusiastic and patient. He understood Wyatt's difficulty coming out to his family and though initially frustrated with the sneaking around, came to accept it as a temporary part of their relationship.

"Your mom likes lilies, right?" Zander asked.

"Yeah," Wyatt answered slowly. "Why?"

"Well, I wasn't going to show up tonight empty handed," he answered. "Besides, considering what she must be going through right now, I thought some flowers could be nice…"

Wyatt swallowed hard, chewing on his lower lip as Zander continued. He stopped midsentence and narrowed his emerald eyes. "What is it?"

"I uh…" Wyatt sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't know you were planning on coming."

Zander's face dropped slightly. "Oh," he managed.

"It's not that I don't want you to come," Wyatt said quickly. "I just don't think tonight is the best night."

The handsome twenty-six year old gave a slow sigh. His dark locks were boyish and shiny against his pale white skin. He always made Wyatt's heart race. And now as he appeared frustrated and hurt, a waft of guilt overcame him. "Your whole family knows now," Zander said. "You said when you told them, I could meet them and…"

"I know, I said that," Wyatt told him. "And I don't want you to be upset."

"I'm tired of just being your boyfriend, Wyatt. I want to be a part of your life. I don't like being hidden away like some dirty secret," Zander glared.

"You're not a dirty secret. I just don't want to bring you into these circumstances. My cousin just got back from rehab and I have a feeling that my mom is going to tell everyone about the cancer…"

"What? And you're too ashamed to bring your boyfriend?" Zander challenged.

"That's not what I'm saying," he groaned, running his hands down his face. He paced in front of the windows that were turning a dusky blue with the evening light. "It's just going to take some time for everyone to get used to…"

"No, Wyatt, I think it's taking you some time to get used to," Zander replied. He grabbed the vase from table. "I thought when you talked about dinner you had come around to the idea of letting me in. I hate to think of how much longer I'll have to wait…"

"You're blowing this out of proportion! It was a miscommunication," Wyatt insisted in frustration as Zander made his way for the penthouse door.

"Is it? Because the message I'm getting is that you still don't want me around your family," Zander said. "Now there's no excuse to hide behind, no more secrecy. The message is loud and clear, Wyatt."

"Zander…"

"Have a nice dinner," he clipped before slamming the door shut.

Wyatt groaned, smacking a palm to his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. His relationship was supposed to be easier with his honesty but instead he'd breached new territory. He'd have to take a step he'd never dared to before – integrating his love life and his family.

* * *

Piper Halliwell had made the climb to the attic more than a thousand times. The creek of the stairs, the worn smoothness of the banister, and musky smell of dust and herbs was unmistakable. The abode represented the part of her life that was filled with danger, urgency, and battle. It was strange to think that the next stage, the next fight, would have no place here. With Paige's death and the rise of her nieces as the new Charmed Ones, she was beginning to understand that perhaps she no longer had a place here in the attic, among the Book and potions. But her illness, the cancer tormenting her frail body, was a definite sign that it was perhaps time to adhere to retirement. And still, though the next battle for her life, for her family, wasn't captured in spells or potions, it was still harbored here, up in the attic, past the creaky stairs and dust.

Curled up on the sofa, Book of Shadows on her lap was her youngest. Melinda hardly stirred when Piper entered and continued to nonchalantly turn through the pages. Her hair was tied back, a few loose pieces falling into her eyes as she read. "Great-great grandpa Gordon died of cancer," she said aloud.

Piper eased onto the cushion next to her. "I didn't know that," she replied.

"There are no spells or anything in here. I keep trying to find a way around personal gain or something that wouldn't backfire but it's just not here," Melinda whispered. She met her mother's gaze. It broke Piper's heart to hear her daughter's desperation. To see the one of her three children who most ardently resisted magic, turn to it for answers. Melinda shook her head. "This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to you."

She gave a grim smile in response and swallowed hard. "I'm only human," Piper told her.

Melinda swallowed hard. "But you're one of the most powerful witches on Earth," she reasoned. "I don't understand why any of this is happening."

"I don't know," Piper replied softly.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you hide it from me?" Melinda asked.

"I was afraid," Piper confessed.

"Afraid?"

"I didn't want to hurt you anymore than you've been hurting," she said. "That's been the hardest part of any of this. I've spent my life trying to protect you and your brothers…"

"But you don't need to," Melinda cut her off. She sniffled past the tears shed before Piper's appearance in the attic. "That's what's been bothering me this whole week. Everyone treats me like a kid – you especially. I can handle more than you think."

"I suppose you're right," Piper muttered. She stared down at her hands. "I guess I just always think of you as that little girl. You know, your father and I thought…"

"That you couldn't have kids anymore after Wyatt and Chris," Melinda finished with a light chuckle. "I know, mom."

"You were our miracle child. The little girl we always wanted," Piper said, tears in her eyes now. "I wanted to give you everything I never had. Everything that your brothers never had. I wanted you to have a normal, gentle, easy life…"

"But you can't promise me that, mom," she whispered. She sniffled again, tears forming in her eyes as well. "There will always be demons and breakups and injury and-and cancer. But I'm an adult now. I'm not going to hide. And you can't hide me either."

Piper reached out and stroked some of her daughter's brown hair. The same hair as her own. Hair she would probably lose in the next few months. "You remind me of me," she smiled.

Melinda shook her head. "I'm not like you," she said with a frown. "I could never be like you. At least, I'm not the witch you are. I never will be."

"What are you talking about? You're a Halliwell," Piper told her.

"But I'm not strong or brave like you…"

"Don't ever say that," Piper cut her off seriously. She put her hand under her daughter's chin. Her dark eyes dove into hers with intensity and fortitude. In the last week she'd been trying to get through to Melinda. She'd been walking on eggshells, trying to be gentle and careful. But now the words came through with force and gravity. "You are strong and you are brave and you are so much better and so much more than I could have ever asked for. You're compassionate and wise and you have the kindest heart I know. There is so much goodness in you, Melinda. More than in me or your aunts or brothers. You have the same goodness as your father – and he was an angel for goodness sake. It's the ability to love deeply and wholly and generously and that's the greatest gift you could ask for. The greatest gift I could ever want for you."

A few tears fell from Melinda's eyes as she stayed locked on her mother's face. It was a moment she knew she would remember forever. Piper always told her kind things, always assured her of how "special" she was like any other parent, but something about this meant more. There was power and emotion behind each sentence like a final verdict. Melinda clung to it now more than ever as they prepared to face the oncoming storm.

"Thank you," she managed in a whisper.

Piper was crying silently as well but there were no sniffles or sobs. She swallowed past the urge to break into hysterics. Ever since learning of her diagnosis she'd been stoic. She felt little self-pity and managed no tears. But now she couldn't hold the brave face. Not as she witnessed the pain of her daughter and realized all the greater pain they were about to face. Not when she thought of never seeing Melinda's face again and never witnessing the sweet grandchildren her daughter would bring her. She let the tears continue rolling as she continued. "I need you to remember that, okay?" Piper told her. "Promise me that you'll remember that. No matter what happens, I need you to…"

"I know, I know, I will. I love you," Melinda whimpered through abrupt sobs that rocked her chest and ran down her face in wet streaks. She moved forward as best she could against the fragileness of her back and coward into her mother.

"I love you too," Piper cried loudly too and eagerly took her into her arms. They stayed there on the sofa, clinging to each other in the attic for several long moments. They cried stridently and freely with plenty of tears and whimpers and sobs.

As much as she loved her husband and her sister and her sons, this was something she could only share with her daughter. Melinda was the closest part of her. The greatest mark she would leave behind. She was the last pure Halliwell witch. And in the moment they were pulled tightly together by the bond only cultivated between a mother and a daughter. This was the only place they could be. It was the only place to prepare for the fight. In the attic, atop the creaking stairs, with the dust and herbs and Book. The place where all great fights took place for the Halliwells. The place where another great fight would start again.

* * *

"You ever wonder what this building was before we started using it?" Lucy asked her sisters. The three of them occupied an abandon warehouse that appeared to be an old manufacturing garage prior to its vacancy. It was rather grim inside among the falling plaster, broken glass, and loose debris but with its distance from people and soundproof walls it was a perfect place to lure demons.

"It would be a good place to kill someone," Lila said, kicking aside a wood plank on the concrete floor. She wore heavy boots – her demon boots as she called them, tight pants, and a dark turtle neck. Lila had an outfit for every occasion and according to her demon hunting was no different. She always appeared as something out of a spy movie.

"Do you think I could do this without these damn heels on?" Lucy asked, glaring down at her own outfit. Coming from work had her in a tight navy skirt and blouse, leaving her rather out of place in their current environment.

"It'll be fast, I promise," Laura assured. Even Laura had adopted demon hunting wear. Though not as fashionable or flamboyant as Lila, she sported hiking boots, jeans, and a canvas field vest. As she glanced at her youngest sister even she felt sympathy. She quickly pulled the spell from one of her many pockets. "We ready?"

"I think so," Lila replied, pulling an athame from her thigh holder. She handed it to Lucy. "Remember, we need a slice of flesh big enough for the potion."

"Got it," Lucy nodded. The three of them moved closer together, holding hands with Laura in the middle. Then in a memorized chant, the three of them began:

"Magic Forces, Black and White, Reaching out Through, Space and Light, Be He Far Or, Be He Near, Bring Us the Demon, Velas Here."

Electricity filled the air as a subtle wind picked up. Hair stood on the back of their necks and they tensed in the pause before the storm. Then suddenly, landing in a forceful silver light, was the demon Velas. He landed in confusion, giving a low growl that echoed off the walls. Muscles bulged beneath his thin black shirt, popping out from his neck and shoulders and arms. His eyes were the same blackness as his greasy hair and popped with a frightening hue against his pale white skin. This was the demon who struck terror against their cousin only a week ago. He'd attacked her quietly and viciously and intimately – it was no wonder Melinda stood little chance.

The plan was one taken from their predecessor's Book. Distract, freeze, and slice. But plans were only meant to be destroyed when it came to demons. "Positions," Laura murmured as Velas set his dark gaze on them. A large sapphire energy ball formed in his right hand and when he hurled it at them, Lila quickly blocked the attack with her telekinesis.

In the meantime Lucy charged him, throwing a high kick at his head. He quickly caught her ankle and threw her across the room and she groaned as she landed on her ass. In the meantime Lila teleported behind him and kicked him in the back. Velas stumbled forward toward Laura who prepared to freeze him once he was in range. Just as she raised her hands, Velas threw out an angry arm, sending Laura flying to the wall. She groaned as her shoulders were battered against the hard surface.

Velas turned and looked to take out Lila next. He threw a punch which she took and retaliated with a chop to his shoulder and a jab to his side. When he wound up another punch, Laura was back on her feet, quickly assaulting his back with a combustion. He cried out at the fire and sparks hitting his back, giving Lila an easy chance to strike. She gave a deep grunt, throwing her arms down for leverage, and slammed a foot into his chest. Velas was launched from his feet and skidded back on the ground.

Laura quickly froze Velas where he landed and frantically looked around the room. "Lucy!" she called. It wouldn't be long before the freeze wore off and they still needed a slice of flesh.

"Coming!" she yelled. Lucy sprinted over, recovered from her earlier fall, knife in hand for the task of collecting a piece of Velas. Her heels clicked loudly and she balanced precariously, moving slower than she would have otherwise.

"Hurry!" Lila shouted, catching her breath with hands on her knees.

"You try wearing heels to a vanquish!" Lucy growled. She stumbled behind Velas and reached to make the cut. Before the blade could even find his skin, Velas was back in motion, grunting and easily grabbing Lucy from behind.

"Lucy!"

He yanked on her arms, flipping her over his head where he sat and tossed her at her sisters. The three girls went down like bowling pins and the blade slid across the floor. Before the girls could react Velas quickly shimmered out, leaving them groaning on the ground.

The girls were a tangle of arms and legs. "You're on my arm," Laura moaned. Lila blew hair out of her face and grunted as Lucy pushed off her head to stand up. Lila then moved to her knees with the help of Laura's back who let out a hiss of pain before standing herself.

"That was a cluster fuck," Lila sighed.

"Now what do we do?" Lucy asked. She bent over and picked up the athame.

"We follow him," Lila replied. "If we go now, Laura will still be able to sense his trail…"

"No, that's a bad idea," Laura said, brushing sawdust off her chest.

"What are you talking about?" Lila asked.

"He's going to go to the Underworld and we don't have any back up there. I say we go back and…"

"And what, try again later?" Lucy asked. "Let's just do this now."

"If we don't go after him, the next time we summon him or anyone for that matter they'll know all they have to do is go to the Underworld and the Charmed Ones will be too chicken to follow," Lila reasoned, casually examining her cuticles.

"Two against one, sis," Lucy replied. She played with the knife, twirling the athame around her hand like a baton.

Laura shook her head. "This is a bad idea," she insisted again. "If something happens we can't call Wyatt or Chris and…"

"We can teleport back up. We'll be fine," Lila told her.

"Now lead us down this motherfucker's trail, I'm ready to do some slicing and dicing," Lucy said enthusiastically.

Despite the uneasy feeling in her stomach Laura decided to avoid the fight with her sisters. It may not have been part of the plan but she knew it wasn't likely to be a perfect vanquish anyway. But something told her this wasn't going to be good. Something told her they were playing with fire. She grabbed onto Lila and Lucy's hands and with a deep breath, teleported them to hotter flames.

* * *

Bianca Lynn Lawrence opened her eyes to blinding pain. She gritted her teeth against the pangs vibrating in her skull and through her bones. She was hurt. She recognized the adrenaline coursing through her veins to numb her injuries. In her ten years as an assassin witch she recognized the signs. More importantly she knew how to fight under such pressure and afflictions. It was survival instinct coupled with years of intensive training.

She silently moved to her feet, using the wall to help her up. Her heart raced, working frantically to keep up with her shaking, painful breaths. Her ribs were throbbing, her back was bruising, and dried patches of blood covered her face. She'd lost her high heels sometime during the battle, leaving her bare feet vulnerable to the broken glass and other broken pieces of furniture in the club.

For some reason, among the franticness and pain, Bianca felt a deep rage at a party not present in her current battle. As she gritted her teeth and wiped blood from her hands onto her work blouse, she silently cursed Lynn Lawrence. Her mother, a Phoenix who had taught Bianca the craft and art of assassin work, was a cold, distant woman. A woman who did her work without compassion and without feeling. But in all her lessons, Lynn never warned Bianca that it didn't mean the feelings weren't there. It wasn't always as easy as the kill.

She tried to shake the uncertainty from her head. She had to kill Chris Halliwell. She had to finish the job. There was movement behind the bar across the club and Bianca slowly rolled an energy ball. It warmed her gashed up hand and she struggled to keep her balance on her tired feet. Chris was just getting his bearings. It was a perfect time to strike.

Bianca grunted and fired the energy ball at his head. In an instant she heard him croak out "energy ball" and the blue sphere whisked back in her direction. She dove out of the way, colliding with a few chairs. Her battered body screamed at the movement. She could hear Chris clamor around the club searching for her.

"Don't run away from me! Come out!"

She remained on the ground for a few moments, collecting the last spurt of energy she had. She pulled in a long breath and exhaled slowly. And then in an instant she shimmered out. Bianca landed agilely behind him and with a war cry, tackled Chris to the ground. She hadn't exactly had a plan but she was running on little fuel and adrenaline.

Bianca won the battle for the top and began strangling him with desperation. She brought out her blade with the other. Her hands were tired but Chris' face slowly turned red, tears coming to his eyes. Blood was caked on his face, coming from gashes and his mouth and other wounds. She could hardly stand to see him like this. But she fought against herself. She had to be strong and cold and unfeeling. "Bianca, don't…"

His voice made her hesitate and in an instant he tossed her away. She tripped back and landed against the bar chairs while Chris got up to his feet. Bianca was embarrassed now, enraged that he'd made her look weak and emotional. He threw a chair at her and Bianca shimmered out behind him. She landed behind his head of chestnut hair and still hot with fury and embarrassment she chucked an energy ball at him. Chris turned and caught it without a second to spare.

And suddenly they were facing each other with death in their hands.

For a few seconds they caught their breaths. They were both broken and blood and bruised. It was hard to believe that two people who cared about each other could do this. They could hardly stand, swaying on their injured forms. Bianca swallowed hard. She goaded him on. "Go on."

"You first."

She shook her head. She needed him to do it first. She needed him to give her a reason. Bianca couldn't just kill him. Not this time. She thought of teasing him. Perhaps then he'd be motivated. Perhaps then he'd realize how much he wanted to kill her, how much he hated her, and how he didn't love her. Then she could kill him. Then Bianca could let herself finish the job. "You don't want to do this, Chris," she taunted cockily. "You don't really want to kill me."

"You're right," he nodded, lowering his energy ball.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.

"Just do it," he said, taking a step closer. Bianca stepped back. Her heart raced. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He wasn't supposed to give up.

"What's wrong with you?"

"If you want to kill me so bad, just do it," Chris said.

She couldn't' tell if he was serious or crazy. "Don't be stupid…"

"Do it! Let me make it easy for you."

"No!"

"Now! Do it!" he screamed. Their voices and yells filled the air. They were raw and ruined and Bianca could hardly stand the air and pressure. Sweat and blood and now tears stood between them. She had to do it. Bianca tightened her grip and looked him they eye. She was about to kill Chris Halliwell.

But the kill wasn't right.

She couldn't do it.

When the energy ball left her hand, it soared far above Chris' head, nearly hitting the ceiling before evaporating. She gave a long sigh, tears now in her eyes. She'd failed. Chris remained unfazed. He knew before she did that Bianca couldn't follow through. She sniffled and now trembled with fear.

"Bianca…"

"Stay the fuck away from me," she grunted hoarsely. Bianca stepped back when he went for her.

"It's okay," Chris told her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I can't hurt you."

Bianca shook her head. More cries rocked her body. "I can't do it," she whimpered.

Chris moved for her and this time she was motionless. He placed gentle hands on her shoulders. "We're going to be okay," he said.

"No we're not, Chris," Bianca shook her head. "This is so fucked up. I'm supposed to kill you!"

"I'll protect you…"

"I don't need your protection," she hissed. "I just need you to stay away from me!"

"Bianca…"

"We can't do this, Chris," Bianca told him seriously. "This isn't some fairytale."

"I know," he whispered. Tears formed in his beaten eyes as well. "I just…I love you."

Bianca shook her head. "You can't," she said.

With the grim words, Bianca shimmered out. Chris took a step back and collapsed down among the chairs and debris. He had lived to see another day. But he hadn't won. And he was beginning to realize that perhaps this was a battle he could never win.

* * *

_Another addition! Thanks to all those who left a review - new readers and old! I'm gonna try to pump out another segment for you guys over my spring break but it's always a fight for time. A few things to address, that I'm sure will come up: I changed Alex's name to Zander. I don't know why but it sounded better to me. Also I have been continuously updating the wiki (link on profile) for this story so be sure to check it out to see new play-bys and other information for those who make appearances. Also a long time ago someone noticed that I changed Nick's last name from Peterson to Rizzo. Sorry about that, Rizzo just sounded better to me ;) I think that's it! Let me know if there are any other questions or suggestions, I love hearing the feedback :) Thanks and leave a quick review of what you like or don't like if you can! ~ Sammy _


	39. Only Human : Segment 4

When they landed in the darkness Laura wished to turn back. In the last month her skills, her senses, and her powers had all become sharper. She was becoming the witch she was always meant to be. But even with such vast improvements in her abilities as well as her sisters', she knew they weren't ready. They were chasing an upper level demon into his own territory without the backup of whitelighters or any other family member for that matter. Deep down, she knew something had to go wrong.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Lucy asked. They walked with little assurance of their surroundings, eyes adjusting to the dim light that came from sporadic fire piles and torches on the cave walls. It smelled of burning ash and death. Laura's nose crinkled against the smell as it reminded her of the hospital morgue.

"This is where his trail led me," Laura confirmed. Their footsteps crunched along the uneven ground. Lucy kept her arms out at her sides for balance on her undesirable footwear. The youngest Halliwell tripped along the gravel, falling onto Lila for balance.

"Get off me," Lila hissed in annoyance.

"This was such a bad idea. We can still turn back…"

"Shhhh," Lila hushed her older sister, quickly putting an arm out to stop both Laura and Lucy midstride. They froze before turning a corner down the next corridor. "You hear that?"

Deep, low voices grumbled ahead. Lila looked to Laura who gave a grim nod. It was without a doubt Velas just a few yards ahead of them. But from the sounds of it, he wasn't alone. Laura shook her head. "He's with another demon…"

"Three on two," Lila whispered. "We'll be fine."

"No, Lila…"

"I'll take the back," she cut Laura off. Then in a quiet flash she was gone, leaving Lucy and Laura to consider their next move.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Laura growled.

"Come on," Lucy nudged her. She wasn't exactly confident herself in whatever their impulsive plan was but she'd learn that it was better to fake confidence than go into battle timid.

Lila landed agily in the nook where Velas and his companion met. As soon as she hit the ground she attacked with her telekinesis, launching Velas from his feet. "Laura!" she shouted. Her sisters came around the corner and before the second demon could think of making a move against Lila, Laura blasted him with a quick flick of her hands.

Velas was on his feet quickly and prepared to strike Lila first. He threw an energy ball at her face and she was forced to dive out of the way. He stalked after her and before Lucy and Laura could come to her aid, the second demon was back up. Laura rocked him with two quick punches, to which he responded with a powerful strike of his own. The punch nearly knocked her out before the demon lifted her from her feet and threw her across the cave.

Lucy levitated up behind him, kicking him in the back of the head. "Help!" Lila shouted from nearby. She blocked another energy ball with her telekinesis but Velas closed in. Lucy dropped back down to her feet, leaving the demon out cold on the ground and scrambled after Lila, athame in hand.

Woozy, Laura got up to her feet, ungracefully tripping to join her sisters. Lila threw Velas with her telekinesis and Laura froze him as soon as he hit the ground. "Now, Lou," Laura breathed uneasily.

Lucy quickly approached, not hesitating to slice a generous strip of meat from Velas' arm. The pain rocked Velas out of his frozen state and he reached out to grab Lucy as soon as he could. This time she was ready and quickly slashed downward, marking his cheek, before Velas sent her flying with a kick to the stomach.

With the loss of Lucy and the revival of the second demon, it quickly became two on two. Laura looked at her sister. "We need to get out of here," she hissed.

"We're fine, don't panic," Lila murmured as Velas and his partner took steps closer to them. Velas tossed an energy ball and Lila deflected it. Laura prepared to combust one of the two foes when the second demon simultaneously threw an energy ball. The force of the blast sent the sisters from their feet, crashing into the stone wall behind them.

Velas grinned. The force hardly fazed him and his partner. They watched as the girls fought to regain consciousness on the ground. "I'm going to enjoy this," Velas sighed.

Through bleary vision, Laura watched as Velas rolled a sapphire energy ball. Her head pounded and she couldn't see straight. She knew he was preparing to finish her off and vile warmed the back of her throat. Next to her Lila was still limp on the ground. She thought of teleporting out but she couldn't muster the focus or energy.

Before Velas could secure Laura's demise, Lucy sprinted across the gravel, heels removed and bare feet quick along the uneven surface. She launched her weight at Velas, tackling him to the ground. The energy ball continued, but veered off course, only clipping Laura's shoulder rather than pulverizing her throat.

Lucy and Velas tumbled across the ground. She hopped up to her feet first, ducking as the second demon threw an energy ball at her head. She levitated up and smacked him in the face with a well-measured kick. When she came down, Lucy landed two punches to his ribs.

While she prepared to face Velas once more, a bright, fearsome energy ball faced her instead. She had no time to react. Her eyes dilated and her breath stopped in her lungs. Lucy braced herself before the hot, electric force pounded into her chest. She flew from her feet, instantly falling unconscious once crumpling into a heap on the ground.

"Lucy!" Lila yelled. She was the last sister standing. Lila wavered on her feet. Her sisters were wounded and unmoving. She could hardly stand as she faced Velas and his companion. She swallowed hard. Suddenly, in the moment between fear and death, she felt regret. A sinking feeling overtook her stomach. She wouldn't see her sisters again. There would be no wedding. No children. All because she'd been too cocky, too certain and reckless. Blood marked her temple where she'd earlier crashed into the wall. Her last moments were bleak and terrifying.

She watched as Velas and the demon rolled up energy balls. Lila exhaled a long breath as she prepared for one more fight.

"Stop!"

A deep, demanding voice broke across the quiet. Lila's chest lightened and the demons tensed. She suddenly felt like smiling.

Jack Mason joined the fight.

* * *

Joey made himself comfortable in the sunroom, feet kicked up on an ottoman as he lounged back. Though he no longer lived in the manor, he still found himself making routine trips to visit his aunt Piper. Since Paige's death he'd become rather dependent on the matriarch. Sam was busy with work and Nick, and Kate was in the middle of rehab. In those cases, whenever Joey longed for his late mother, he found himself at the manor just to be near his aunt. Piper was rather found of the scenario herself. Her own children – especially her sons – were usually tied up and busy, making the appearances of her nephew welcome and warm.

"When are you moving back? I'm starting to get lonely without you," Joey was telling Melinda who sat across from him.

"Soon, now that I'm mobile," Melinda smiled. "Granted, I figured you'd be taking advantage of my time away, giving P3s female patrons a "tour" of the apartment."

"I can't help that I'm adorable," Joey sighed. "Right aunt Piper?"

"It's your curse," she replied in her seat next to him. She shared a spot with Phoebe, the two still reeling from her revelation earlier.

"Don't encourage him mom," Melinda said with a chuckle.

"But he's so cute, how can we help it?" Phoebe teased, reaching over Piper and pinching Joey's cheek.

"The last baby in the family…" Piper added to the jeering, only to be overcome by a powerful cough. She choked for a few minutes, gasping for air, coughing into her fist violently. Phoebe and Melinda exchanged knowing looks while Joey watched in concern.

"Aunt Piper, you okay?" he asked.

"I'll go get you some water," Phoebe said, giving her sister's shoulder a squeeze as the coughing slowly subsided.

"You don't sound good. I really think you need to get that checked out," Joey said, concern streaked on his boyish face.

"Honey, there's nothing to worry about. I'm going to be fine," Piper assured with a wheeze. Phoebe exited the kitchen with a glass of water. She sensed the tension in the room and cleared her throat.

"Joey, what was it you wanted to talk to us about?" Phoebe asked as she sat back down.

Joey's dark gaze lingered on Piper for a moment longer before deciding it best to leave the subject alone. He sighed, "Well, it's mostly for you aunt Phoebe," he started uneasily. "I wanted to know how you know if you're having a premonition."

Phoebe's brow furrowed momentarily before she proceeded to answer his question. "Well, when it starts, I get a little lightheaded and for a moment everything goes dark. And when I see again, it's as if I've been transported through time, to a different moment, where I'm actually experiencing everything I see in the vision. The smells, the touch, the sounds are all the same as if I've already felt them. It's like the early stages of a dream. And I suppose I know it's a premonition when I get the feelings all over again and see the same things and it happens again."

"Why do you want to know, Joey?" Melinda asked.

He sighed. "I know it's crazy because I don't have any powers but I keep having these dreams. I've had the same one for the last three days."

"What's it about?" Piper asked, growing more intrigued and concerned.

"Well, a few weeks ago when…"

"Guess who's home!" an enthusiastic voice echoed from the foyer. Phoebe, whose attention span was still apt to be adolescent and who hadn't seen her niece since her departure from rehab, was fast to meet the twins and leave the sunroom. Melinda, still moving slowly, ambled after as well. Piper kept her eyes on her nephew who remained seated.

"Joe…" she started.

"It's fine," Joey assured her. "We can talk about it later."

Piper watched as he forced a smile, not believing the youngest Halliwell for a second.

"I'm so glad you're back! I'm so proud of you," Phoebe told her niece. Kate chuckled in Phoebe's tight hold, glad to see her aunt in a place other than rehab. When Phoebe unlatched her from the hug, she gave a long sigh.

"It feels good to be back," she smiled.

"Where's everyone else?" Sam asked as Melinda, Joey, and Piper joined them in the foyer.

"Work and demons; what else?" Melinda smirked.

"Sorry it's not much of a welcoming party," Piper apologized.

"Don't be sorry, I don't think I could handle all the fuss," Kate chuckled.

"There will be plenty of fuss soon," Joey winked.

As if confirming Joey's warning, a flash of blue orbs entered the foyer. Wyatt appeared as the lights fell down, arms loaded with grocery bags. "You're late," Piper told him.

He rolled his eyes. "Apparently everyone is getting groceries at four o'clock," he replied. "And from what I can see I'm not the only one missing from this party."

"It isn't a party," Kate insisted.

"Well, I think it calls for celebration!" Wyatt nearly exclaimed. He grinned at the sight of Kate. "Join me in the kitchen?"

"It would be an honor," Kate said grabbing one of the heavy bags of food from his arms.

"Wyatt, I thought you were bringing Zander for dinner," Melinda stopped her brother before he could reach the kitchen.

He cursed under his breath before giving a long sigh. "I never said that and he won't be coming," Wyatt announced, before eagerly plowing into the kitchen. Kate glanced back at the group in the foyer and gave a confused look before following after him.

"Someone had a fight," Melinda sniggered.

"Speaking of that; Mel, can I talk to you?" Sam asked. She looked at Joey who watched her curiously. "Privately?"

"Don't worry, I can see where I'm not wanted," he grumbled.

Distracting from the departure of the girls, however, was a knock on the front door. Phoebe quickly opened the barrier to be greeted by Gage Jenkins. "I hope I'm not late," he said to his future mother in law. They hugged and she kissed him on the cheek. "I got caught up at the shop."

"You're just in time," Phoebe assured. Gage handed off a bottle of wine to Piper, gave her an embrace, and greeted Joey with a fist bump.

"Where's Lila?" Gage asked.

Phoebe gave a long sigh. "I believe she and the girls are taking care of a demon, but I'm trying not to think of it," she replied.

"In that case, I'm going to try to not think of it too," Gage said. He glanced at Joey. "Is the game on?"

"Follow me, my good friend," Joey replied, leading him to the living room.

Before Piper and Phoebe could skirt off to the kitchen, a pink glow landed before them. Arriving with the light was Coop and Leo. With Phoebe and Coop reunited it was a rather normal occurrence for Leo to "catch a ride" with the cupid to and from magic school. Now that the kids were out of the house, Leo often took to mentoring young magic practitioners.

"Looks like we came to the right place," Coop grinned instantly grabbing Phoebe into the safety of one large arm. Leo stepped forward and pecked Piper on the lips.

"We're not the last ones here are we?" Leo asked.

"No we're still waiting on our son and their daughters," Piper replied.

"That's never good," Coop sighed.

"I think it may be time to pop this baby open," Phoebe decided, grabbing the bottle of wine from Piper.

Leo gave a dutiful nod. "I'll go grab some glasses."

* * *

Jack Mason fought with a tenacity Lila had never seen. She could only compare it to Wyatt and Chris. Like Wyatt he was dangerously powerful but it was coupled with a fierce passion like Chris'. Lila watched in awe. He moved with speed and struck with efficiency. He fired two energy balls at the second demon and violently threw Velas to the wall with his telekinesis. Jack slammed a foot into the second demon's gut as he passed him.

Velas threw an energy ball at Jack but he held up a single hand without breaking stride and deflected the attack. His face was blank, blue eyes empty, and when he reached Velas, he thrust a single hand forward. Jack choked Velas, pinning him against the rock wall. "What are you doing?" Velas wheezed.

"I warned you to not touch her," Jack growled, inches from Velas' face. "I told everyone in the Brotherhood that she wasn't to be touched! That none of the Halliwells were!"

Velas spit in Jack's face. "I was under orders by the Source," he glared. "You're not even in the Brotherhood anymore."

"Then it won't be a problem when I kill you," Jack hissed.

While Jack easily conquered their demonic foes, Lila stumbled over to her oldest sister. She nearly fell to her knees. "Laura!" she shook her. "Laura, you need to wake up."

Laura groaned to consciousness, moaning at the piercing pain radiating from her wounds. Lila nearly dragged her up to her feet, pulling her toward Lucy. "Is that Jack?" Laura mumbled.

"It doesn't matter," Lila replied. She took a knee next to Lucy and nearly whimpered at the horrific wound. Laura's mouth dropped as well and despite the light headedness, she managed to check her sister's pulse. "Lucy wake up…"

Lucy was unresponsive. Blood coated Laura's hands as she began pounding her sister's chest in sporadic CPR. "Lucy? Lucy can you hear me!" Laura yelled. "I can't feel her pulse."

Lila shook her head, breathing past the lump in her throat. "We need to get her out of here."

Jack glanced back at them, an easy hold still on Velas' throat. "You should go," he growled. "I can take care of him."

Laura and Lila struggled to stand, each taking one of Lucy's arms over their shoulders. A hardly lucid Laura looked to her younger sister. "You're going to have to teleport us," she said.

Lila nodded, setting one last look on Jack and Velas before departing. "Thank you," she told him.

Jack gave a nod. "Good luck."

In a pink glow they disappeared.

* * *

"That's messed up," Melinda decided plainly.

She sat at a barstool in the kitchen, eyes wide as Sam finished explaining to her the recent complications with Nick. Wyatt and Kate listened in as well while they prepared dinner.

"I thought so too," Sam sighed.

"But it's not your fault. There's nothing you can do or could have done," Wyatt insisted over his shoulder. He stood in front of the hot stove, cooking a monstrous amount of grilled chicken with mango salsa. Heat from the dish warmed his face.

"It would be impossible for me to date the offspring of someone who killed mom," Kate put in. She wasn't doing a great job of helping Wyatt and instead took to nibbling on bits of food while he wasn't looking.

"I think you should be careful," Melinda warned Sam.

"I don't think he'd ever hurt me," Sam replied.

"That's what I thought," Melinda told her. An uneasy air overtook the four of them at her comment. Kate cleared her throat.

"So, Wyatt, what happened with the boyfriend?" she asked.

Wyatt grimly replaced the lid to the pot he finished stirring. "I didn't realize everyone thought he was coming. I never said that to him or anyone else," he insisted. "Laura hardly brings James and Chris never introduced Bianca…"

"That's because James is a busy surgeon and the entire family hates Bianca," Melinda replied.

"Yeah, I want to meet your man," Sam told her cousin. While everyone was still getting used to the idea of Wyatt being gay, most of the family was eager to embrace his identity.

"Well, I called him and apologized and invited him," Wyatt told them. "But that doesn't mean he'll come."

Suddenly echoing through the house with urgency and panic was a loud shout from the living room. "Wyatt!" Joey yelled. "Get in here! We need your help!"

Without pause, Wyatt dropped the wooden spoon in his hand and sprinted out of the kitchen. The hair raised on the back of his neck gave no doubt that there was danger. His heart raced beneath his chest as he charged into the living room. Sam ran in behind him and Melinda got up as quickly as she could, leaning on the island and walls for support.

Kate was the last one left, hesitating as soon as she felt the familiar tingle of mayhem and fear. It was the panic that came with demons and trauma – the very things that sent her into turmoil and alcoholism. As she slowly rose from her seat, mentally preparing to follow the gasps and whimpers on the other side of the kitchen, she was distracted by the rattle of the back door.

She glanced behind her, just in time to see a black flash move into another room. The door was left a crack open. Kate's brow furrowed as she spotted a small splatter of blood on the kitchen tile. "Hello?" she called.

Kate anxiously glanced over her shoulder, hoping someone was there to confirm her suspicions. Then with a deep breath, she followed the trail of the intruder.

* * *

"Help me get her on the couch," Wyatt grunted. Gage quickly stepped forward, grabbing Lucy's arms while Wyatt picked up her legs. They hoisted her onto the sofa in the living room while the rest of the family gathered around. The Charmed Ones had desperately teleported to the manor, a heaving and bloody mess.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"We were in the Underworld tracking down Velas," Lila answered, still out of breath. Gage stepped back from Lucy to allow Wyatt to tend to her and instead examined his fiancé's wounds. A crust of blood marked her temple and her lip was swollen from a previous blow.

"What were you doing down there?" Wyatt asked. He frantically brought his hands over Lucy's wound, discouraged to find her pale and completely motionless. There was no breath in her chest or the slightest quiver of life.

The rest of the family charged into the living room. Phoebe immediately gasped and Coop lost his breath, stopping his steps in shock. "Wyatt…" Phoebe started weakly but he already knew the question.

"I don't know yet," Wyatt replied. His hands began to glow over the mutations left by the energy ball. It had been a direct hit, resulting in burned flesh, bloody organs, and other marks of terror.

"We shouldn't have been down there," Laura growled. She could hardly stand and Joey was quick to hold her up with his arms while she wavered. Her shoulder was bleeding profusely from the energy ball that skimmed her and her head pounded violently enough to make her vision distorted. She couldn't decide if she was going to puke or pass out. "I told you we shouldn't have gone down there…"

"Don't blame this one me," Lila hissed at her sister.

"You were insistent that we go and I knew it would be too dangerous," Laura continued.

"This isn't my fault!" Lila shouted. Gage attempted to hold her back and shield her away from Laura as she grew with rage.

"Girls, now isn't the time," Coop said coldly. It wasn't often that he stepped in as an authority but whenever he did his daughters took it with great seriousness. The room was somber as they waited for Wyatt's healing to work.

"Laura that looks really bad," Sam murmured, examining her cousin as she leaned on Joey to stand.

"Where the hell is Chris?" Melinda asked, glancing around the room.

"It's working," Wyatt finally announced.

"Thank God," Phoebe sighed in relief, turning into Coop. She hid her face in his chest, no longer able to watch the morbid sight of her daughter near death. Piper and Leo who watched in the background gave thankful sighs as well while the wound began a slow healing process.

"It's deep. It'll take a while," Wyatt told them. He glanced over his shoulder at Laura. "You should get Chris."

Before anyone could say anything, the eldest Charmed One wavered and her face went pale. "I think I'm going to be sick," Laura managed uneasily. Sweat beaded her brow and she attempted to move for the kitchen. Joey quickly helped her through the door and Sam trailed behind them.

"Not in the kitchen!" Wyatt shouted. As the sounds of Laura's gags echoed from the sink he groaned and shook his head. "Every single time…"

Phoebe had moved to a spot beside Lucy, taking her daughter's hand into her own as Wyatt's healing continued. It was heartbreaking to see her youngest so broken and wounded. Coop hovered above, watching with just as much mortification and somberness. In many ways, Phoebe envied her mother and grandmother; Patty and Penny never had to see the up close, gruesome results of their daughters fighting as the Charmed Ones. Phoebe was beginning to find it worse than any battle she'd faced during her time as the Power of Three.

"Leo can you go get the first aid kit?" Piper asked her husband. Gage was busy examining Lila on a chair and Piper eased toward the kitchen to help her oldest niece. She glanced back at her daughter before departing. "And Melinda, can you figure out what the hell happened to Chris?"

* * *

While turmoil could be heard in the living room, Kate continued up the stairs. She could hear a low hiss and the sink running. There were more footsteps, shuffling, and grunts. She clenched her fists, heart racing with anticipation. "Who's there?" she asked.

The door to Leo and Piper's bedroom was open and another splatter of blood marked the hall floor. Kate timidly continued onward, not stopping until she entered her aunt and uncle's bedroom. "Chris?" she gasped.

He was too tired and hurt to turn. Instead he saw her from the bathroom mirror and gave a slight sigh. "Hi," he managed.

"What the hell happened to you?" Kate asked in concern. His face was bloody and cut in all different directions. Swelling and redness marked his cheeks and eyes. His sweater was torn and though she couldn't see all of the damage it was visible he was in severe pain. He could hardly stand straight under the aches in his body.

"Bianca happened," Chris forced a chuckle but only gasped in pain. Unbearable pangs hit his ribs and back where Bianca earlier smacked him with a chair.

"Here, sit down," Kate insisted, quickly helping him to a seat on top of the toilet. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before moving for the door. "I'm going to go get Wyatt…"

"No!" Chris shouted, grabbing her wrist. She stared at him in confusion. "I don't want to cause a scene. Please, just help me."

"Chris, I don't know what I can do. I think you're really hurt," she replied in concern. She'd never seen Chris so battered or wounded. It frightened her.

"I'm okay," he insisted. "It's just all the blood that makes it look so bad…"

"That doesn't make me feel better," Kate said.

"Please, Kate. Just clean me up enough to get through dinner. Then I'll have Wyatt heal me," Chris pleaded gently.

Kate gave a gentle sigh. Part of her remembered how Chris had helped her on a few drunken nights. Now it only seemed appropriate to repay the favor. "Okay," she replied unhappily. "And if you don't get Wyatt, I will."

Chris gave a nod. "Thank you."

She ran the sink and grabbed a towel, quickly dampening the cloth. "Besides, I think something happened down there. It sounded like one of the girls was hurt…"

"Shit," Chris cursed.

"It'll be fine," Kate muttered, assuring herself just as much as she did Chris.

"I guess this is kind of a terrible welcome home," Chris told her.

"It's fine," she replied. She kneeled down in front of her cousin and slowly began wiping away some of the blood from his jawline. When she ran over one of the deep cuts in which the wound came from he gave a gasp.

"Fuck," he winced.

"Sorry," Kate apologized. She tried to find a distraction from the gore and pain for the both of them. "So Bianca did this?"

"Yeah," Chris nodded.

"Damn," Kate murmured. "I knew she was a Phoenix but…wow."

"I got in some shots too," he insisted before whining as she pressed another towel to his wounded bicep.

"So I guess that means you guys are broken up?"

"Seriously?" Chris chuckled at her. Kate managed a smile too. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too," Kate replied. Chris could sense the hesitation in her voice.

"It's going to be okay this time," Chris said. "If it gets overwhelming or you feel like maybe you'll…"

"I know, Chris. I'll call my sponsor, I'll talk to you guys," she told him. She frowned as she threw the bloody towels into the laundry basket. She opened Piper and Leo's medicine cabinet and took out bandages and ointment.

"I know it can't be easy," Chris told her.

"It's scary," Kate confessed softly. She hid her eyes from him as she prepared a bandage. "I mean, I come home to this. It makes me want to be numb all over again. It's a lot to handle."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of…"

"No, it's not you Chris. I knew how to cope with it before," Kate replied. "I'll just have to learn how to do it again."

"Well, I know if anyone can it's you," he told her.

"Thanks," she mumbled. She applied a dab of ointment to a deep gash under his eyebrow and placed a bandage on it. "I'm more worried about you than me anyway."

"I'm fine," Chris advised.

"You have a very interesting concept of fine," Kate told him. She got up and moved for Piper and Leo's closet. "I'll get you another shirt."

Chris sighed, hardly able to raise his arms over his head. His ribs were likely cracked, his back bruised and out of place. Kate returned with one of Leo's shirts and bandaged the messy wound on Chris' bicep. It was a deep hole, one that would undoubtedly need Wyatt's attention, but she managed to slow the bleeding.

The two were silent as she patched him up. The blood was wiped away and the cuts closed by bandages. Bruises lingered and bones were in need of mending, but at least Chris no longer resembled the walking dead. He leaned on her to stand, hardly able to bear weight on his own. Every muscle screamed at his movements, throbbing from the recent trauma.

His body was so busy in survival mode that he had yet to let down. He hadn't thought of all that transpired at the club. Of how Bianca spared him. Of how he still loved and longed for her despite the danger of such sentiment. A feeling was beginning to swell in him that it wasn't finished; it was only beginning. With Kate at his side and careful slowness in each step, Chris went to face the family.

* * *

Lucy Halliwell first saw a sea of heads when she met the surface of consciousness. Her mother, father, Sam, Wyatt, and Joey stood above her, forming a curious circle as she blinked away the fogginess of sleep. She coughed before speaking, her lungs astonished by the air that filled her body. "What happened?" she asked.

"You were hit by an energy ball," Phoebe answered gently. She was still holding Lucy's hand, adjusting to the multitude of emotions that hit her. Coop rubbed careful circles on her back, sensing the anxiety still tensing his wife's form.

"You were almost a gonner," Wyatt replied. "Had us all pretty worried."

"What about Laura and Lila?" Lucy asked, sitting up quickly. She felt lightheaded at the fast movement and her father quickly eased her back down.

"We're okay," Laura assured from across the room. She sat on the couch with Piper and Melinda who kept pressure on her wound. An empty bucket was on her lap in case she felt the urge to vomit again. On the chair nearby Lila sat with Gage, an icepack held to her swollen mouth.

"I had the weirdest dreams," Lucy murmured.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Phoebe said, placing kisses on Lucy's cheeks. She groaned at her mother's attention while the rest of the family reveled in silent relief. The tension lessened as Wyatt moved from Lucy to Laura and began healing her bloody graze.

"Did we at least win?" Lucy asked as she slowly sat up.

"Hard to say," Lila answered dully.

"Why's that?" Chris asked. The family looked up as he entered the living room with Kate close behind him.

"Where have you been?" Melinda asked her brother, already feeling his physical pain as well as the emotional turmoil that built inside him.

"I got held up, I'm sorry," he replied.

"We could have used your help here," Wyatt muttered as he finished healing Laura's wound. He was neither mad nor pleased with Chris. All day Wyatt had secretly been on edge, waiting for the results of his brother's confrontation with Bianca. His suspicions were only made more prominent with Chris' tardiness.

"You look a little banged up," Sam observed.

"Just had a small demonic run in, nothing to worry about," Chris said. He made an effort to not move too close to anyone in the room so they wouldn't notice his wounds. He took a seat farther away from the group before setting eyes on the Charmed Ones. "Someone going to explain what happened?"

Before anyone could speak up, a loud alarm from the kitchen sounded followed by the panicked voice of Leo. "Wyatt! I think it's burning!" he announced. With the turmoil following the girls' arrival, Leo took to watching over dinner in the kitchen.

Wyatt sprang to his feet, already finished helping Laura. "Shit," he groaned on his way to the kitchen.

"I can help," Melinda offered but her brother promptly denied her over his shoulder.

"No, we actually want something edible tonight. Kate? Aunt Phoebe?" Wyatt asked.

Melinda folded her arms across her chest in outrage while Phoebe and Kate skirted toward the kitchen to assist. "So someone was just going to explain what happened in the Underworld?" Chris cleared his throat.

"We got our asses kicked," Laura started roughly. A cool cloth was still pressed to her neck in order to keep away any nausea. "Velas shimmered out to the Underworld and we followed him."

"Why would you do that? Do you know how dangerous that is?" Chris asked brashly.

"It was my fault," Lila sighed. She caught the room by surprise. "I made a bad judgment call. Laura wanted us to stay back and I wouldn't listen. I'm sorry."

Lucy's face dropped. "Who are you?" she asked.

"It's not worth fighting about, we basically just watched you die," Lila muttered.

Laura found her sister's gaze and felt sudden warmness. "That means a lot Ly," she told her gently.

"Yeah, yeah, let's not make a big deal of it, okay? And no throwing it in my face that I was wrong," Lila snapped quickly. "Now Chris can you please heal my face?"

"Gladly," Chris replied. He prayed that Lila wouldn't make an obscene remark about his cuts and continued with his interrogation. "Were you able to get Velas' flesh at least?"

"No," Lila sighed. "We were too busy trying not to get killed."

"Was I completely out of it or was Jack there?" Laura asked.

"He was there," Lila confirmed but felt uneasy as she watched Melinda. Her cousin appeared unaffected and did her best not to react.

"What do you mean he was there?" Chris nearly growled.

"He saved us," Lila replied with a sigh. "He fought two members of the Brotherhood before they could kill us. He held them off so we could escape."

"Why would he fight against his own Brothers?" Joey asked.

"Because they're not his brothers anymore," Melinda spoke up. Her brown eyes flashed up and met Chris' while the rest of the room fought a dense quiet. Piper stared down at her hands and Coop nervously flipped his ring – desperate to hide the subtle pink glow that emanated from it.

"I'll be sure to thank him on behalf of the family," Sam said uneasily. She sat with Coop and Lucy on a couch, chewing her lip at the suggestion.

"You still see him?" Kate asked.

"He's still working at the Bay Mirror," Sam replied. Chris' jaw locked and Lila raised an eyebrow at his tension while he finished healing her.

"That's great," Chris managed with a grunt.

"How'd it go with Bianca, Chris?" Joey piped in. He didn't intend on agitating his cousin but something about it seemed justified. As of late his sympathy was with Melinda and with Jack's recent behavior, it was hard to picture the man as only a villain.

Chris resisted snipping back at his young cousin and instead finished healing Lila. He cleared his throat as he turned to face the group. "There shouldn't be any more trouble," he managed. "She got the message loud and clear.

"Was part of the message letting her kick your ass?" Lila asked, drawing further unwanted attention to the whitelighter. He instantly glared at her. "I can see the damage…"

"What damage? Chris are you okay?" Piper asked frantically.

"I'm fine, mom," Chris groaned.

Before anything could escalate further the doorbell rang. Piper was up from the couch in a second, glad to leave the room. If she had to hear one more word about Jack Mason she was going to explode. At this rate, she was also losing the nerve to tell the family – granted it seemed at least half of them already knew her sad news. Still, with her nieces shaken, Chris looking suspicious, and Kate adjusting to life back with the family, it seemed irresponsible to drop a bomb shell.

By the time she reached the front door, Piper hardly thought of how unusual it was for someone to be dropping by. After all, most of the family just magically appeared and as far as she could tell everyone was present. She looked through the peephole of the door, only to spot a confusing arrangement of bright colors.

"You must be Mrs. Halliwell," a cheery voice greeted her when she opened the door.

A slender, dark haired, smiling young man stood before her. His shirt was crisp and pressed, his jeans a dark designer denim, and his white skin appeared immaculate beneath the evening light. He happily held an elaborate arrangement of flowers in a shiny vase. "Hi," Piper managed. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Zander. Zander Crosley," he explained still smiling. "Am I allowed to come in?"

"Oh my gosh, Zander. You're Zander," Piper fumbled with simultaneous shock and enthusiasm. "Of course, come in."

Zander eased through the foyer and gave the matriarch an appeased smile. "Wyatt didn't tell you I was coming?" he asked.

"Uh no. Well, yes," Piper stammered. It had been years since Wyatt brought home a girlfriend. In fact, it may have very well been his senior prom since he allowed his family to meet any of his beaus. The sight of Zander, her son's boyfriend, suddenly had Piper giddy and surprised like a schoolgirl. While she accepted her son's sexual orientation and any other facet of his identity, the situation came with strange newness.

"These are for you," Zander said, offering her the flowers. "Lilies are your favorite, right? If they're not I'm going to kill your son…"

"Yes they are and these are just beautiful," Piper replied with a gracious smile. "Thank you."

"Of course," he told her. "Wyatt told me about the news and I just want you to know if you need anything at all…"

"Mom!" Wyatt bellowed from the kitchen. His voice echoed before his form appeared. "It's ruined!"

Piper and Zander watched as Wyatt and Kate appeared from the kitchen, disheveled and disappointed in their cooking feat. Wyatt's mouth dropped at the sight of Zander. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Well, I thought I was invited," Zander smirked. "At least that's what I gathered from the four voicemails you left me."

"I'm glad you're here," Wyatt said, before the two shared a brief kiss. Kate cleared her throat behind them and Wyatt quickly turned around to face his cousin. "Sorry, Zander this is my cousin Kate. Kate this is Zander."

"Nice to meet you," Kate smiled, shaking Zander's hand.

"Pleasure is all mine," he replied.

"So what's ruined Wyatt?" Piper asked as she set the flowers on the foyer table.

"Dinner," Wyatt sighed. "I tried to salvage what was left but it was all burnt."

"Burnt? I thought Wyatt Halliwell doesn't burn anything," Zander teased.

"We had some distractions," he muttered.

"So what's for dinner?" Zander asked.

"Pizza," Piper, Kate, and Wyatt answered in unison.

* * *

By the time the pizza arrived, the Halliwells had transformed into predators circling their prey. The boxes of cheesy, greasy goodness were attacked with gusto, leaving everyone to fend for themselves. Within the first twenty minutes, Leo already placed another call for three more pizzas.

"Your family can eat," Zander murmured to Wyatt.

The eldest of the family had to bite his tongue. Fighting demons, coming down from adrenaline rushes, and nearly dying, certainly worked up a person's appetite. "What can I say? We're animals," he teased.

"Chris and Joey are hogging all the Canadian bacon!" Lucy growled from her place on the sofa. The group was crammed into the sunroom and spilled out into the living room, taking to a casual sitting rather than the formalities of the dining room.

Joey stuck his tongue out at Lucy in response. "You snooze you lose!" Chris told her.

"I'll show you who loses…"

Sam pushed Lucy back into her seat as Leo interjected. "There's more coming!" he advised. "Everyone calm down." Piper stood behind him, hardly able to eat as she contemplated the right time to jump in with her news. She kept busy by rubbing her husband's back, watching the grinning faces of her family as they enjoyed their meal. It was times like this, when they were unruly and loud and even annoying, that she found them most charming and loving. Despite the teasing and rough housing it was most evident they loved each other.

"So Zander, what do you do?" Laura asked. She sat with Melinda and Joey on a sofa across from Wyatt and Zander.

"I'm a florist," Zander answered. "I actually work at Fiore on 15th street."

"That's where I recognize you from," Phoebe remarked. She stood near Coop, the two of them sharing what was left of the pizza on a single plate.

"My uncles have owned the store since the 70's and now that they're retired, I run it," Zander smiled. "It's a family business."

"We know all about those," Melinda replied. From what she could tell, she liked Zander. He was enthusiastic and friendly, much in the ways that Wyatt was. Despite her own secret sadness that she couldn't enjoy the same companionship, she was glad to see her brother happy. At least someone in the family was.

"Wait; you're a florist?" Lila piped in. She shared a chair with Gage, sitting on his lap. "So you work with flowers?"

"Seriously?" Lucy muttered to her parents.

"Yeah," Zander nodded with a smirk. His aqua green eyes twinkled at Lila's enthusiasm.

"Do you do weddings?"

"Yes…"

"Oh my gosh, this is perfect!" Lila shrieked.

Joey groaned. "I hate when she does that," he said to Laura as he covered his ears.

Lila was already up from her seat, quickly grabbing Zander's hand. He could hardly set down his dinner on the coffee table before she dragged him off. "Come with me, we have so much to talk about," Lila babbled happily. "Also, I just wanted to let you know that we're going to be best friends."

"Wow," Melinda laughed as they skirted off.

"Didn't see that one coming," Joey chuckled before stuffing his face.

"I did," Lucy replied as she took Zander's place next to Wyatt.

"Surprisingly, I did too," Wyatt smirked.

"He's the gay of Lila's dreams," Lucy muttered. She glanced at her cousin, "No offense, Wy."

"None taken," he said.

Across the room, Kate examined Chris closely. While he'd done a good job eluding the rest of the family and sticking in the background for once, she was still unconvinced of his well-being. "I'm going to get Wyatt. Now's a perfect time," Kate told him.

"No," Chris grunted, grabbing her back. "I'm fine; see?"

He forced a painful smile and Kate shook her head. "You're impossible."

Before the two could exchange more, Sam's voice echoed loudly through the two rooms. "Everyone! Can I have your attention before more pizza gets here?" she called.

"There's more pizza?" Joey perked up. Laura and Melinda shot him annoyed looks before the group hushed to listen to Sam.

"Wow, that actually worked," Sam muttered to herself. It was rare for the family's attention to be focused and she smiled at the moment. Unbeknownst to her, half the people in the room were compliant only in the expectation that Piper would be sharing her own news soon. She cleared her throat. "So first of all, we're all here to welcome Kate home so…"

"Sam, that's okay," Kate insisted but was drown out by a loud and enthusiastic raucous from the family. Chris threw an arm around her and Lucy snuck up from behind to mess with her hair.

"But before I go on about how proud we all are of her," Sam continued, "I think we should also say congratulations to Gage and Lila for setting a date."

More cheers and jeers were tossed about in the room. Laura threw a pillow at Gage while Lila beamed enthusiastically, entering the room with Zander. "He hasn't backed out yet?" Joey asked loudly.

The family chuckled and Melinda pinched his ear. "When's the big day?" Piper asked.

"April 5th," Lila answered. She took a seat on Gage's lap and proceeded to kiss him.

"Gross! Make them stop!" Chris shouted from where he stood, balancing his weight on Kate. Booing echoed around the room along with a few laughs.

Their making out continued more vigorously at the jeering and Coop teasingly stepped in, pushing their heads apart. "Get back to Kate!" Laura encouraged with a smirk. Though she hadn't had much time to spend with her cousin for the last month, she always shared a soft spot for Kate. More than that, she knew that it was easy to fall into the background of such an overwhelming group.

"Well, like I was saying, we're all really proud of you Kate and most of all we're so happy to have you home. It really hasn't been the same without you," Sam said. "I know you didn't want all the fuss or attention, but I wanted to make sure we had everyone here tonight, not just because we're all so entertaining, but so that you know everyone in this room loves you and that we're always here for you; no matter what."

The sisters locked eyes at the statement. For the last twenty-four hours, Sam had struggled to find a way to connect with her sister. And perhaps, among all the scary things that'd happened to them recently, that was the most frightening. Not connecting, not understanding the one person she could depend on was unbearable. Sam could survive many things but that was not one of them.

It was that fear that drove her to such frantic, neurotic behavior. It was fear that pulled her further from what had always worked before – just letting things be, saying what they meant, and being honest. As they exchanged glances, a calm settled between them. Somehow, it felt like they were going to be okay.

Kate gave a small smile and nod. "Thank you," she said.

While Kate and Sam shared an embrace, Leo cleared his throat. "I would like to add something," he said. "Kate, not only are we proud of you, but I know that great things are on the horizon for you. You've always been strong and fearless and smart and I'm so glad that you've taken steps to put that to use. New beginnings can be frightening – I think we've all had our share of that. But like Sam said, we're all here for you. More than that, if anyone can make the best of this it's you. I know you may be scared or worried but I for one have no reservations about your future."

The family was quiet and listened to Leo in awe. While Piper was clearly the family leader and matriarch, when Leo spoke it was like hearing from the pope himself. He was spiritual, safe, and sweet. He always had a way of speaking to the heart. Piper squeezed his hand as his eyes twinkled with a smile.

"So, I say we raise our glasses," Leo advised. The family quickly cooperated. "To Kate and new beginnings."

"To Kate," the group echoed happily.

Kate blushed at the gesture and offered her uncle a silent thank you. He quickly moved over to grab her into a hug. Leo had always been close with Kate. During her time as a whitelighter she often looked up to her uncle for advice and guidance. As far as she was concerned he was the greatest teacher she could ever ask for and long admired his integrity, skill, and compassion.

While the family took to more noise and joking and talking, Chris managed to hobble over to his mother. Piper leaned against the wall, watching the family with tired but tender brown eyes. He could see the fatigue, the sickness, behind her gaze and his stomach sank. "Mom?" he caught her attention.

"You've been quiet tonight," Piper told him, still watching the group. Kate was getting bombarded by Joey, Lucy, and Wyatt. Her youngest son's behavior hadn't gone unnoticed by her but she trusted Chris. She had to trust Chris. "What happened?"

He frowned as finally looked up at him. "Bianca's a Phoenix," Chris said. "I had to take care of her."

Piper kept her composure. While Chris waited for her to explode, she remained steady and instead examined his beaten face. She could see the bruises and scrapes from a mile away and could imagine the damage underneath. "Are you okay?" she asked him softly.

Chris exhaled and rubbed the back of his stiff neck. "She was powerful," he confessed. As usual, there was no use hiding anything from his mother. In fact, he appreciated the chance to talk with her alone. "She could've killed me. I'll have Wyatt heal me when this has all settled; I don't want to draw attention or worry everyone else."

"I'm glad you're alright," Piper said. She carefully ran a few fingers down his cheek, avoiding the painful spots. "But what I meant is, are you okay here?"

Piper tapped gently on his chest just above his heart. Chris didn't answer right away. His green eyes faded with regret like a child caught stealing. "I'll be fine," he told her. She gave a small frown and rested her head against his chest, happy just to hear his heartbeat. The two of them watched the group continue with their fun and another heavy notion suddenly weighed down. "You need to tell them."

"But they're all so happy," Piper replied distantly.

"They need to know," Chris said. "Do it now, mom. That's why we're all here, isn't it?"

"We're here for Kate."

"She'll be okay," he replied.

Piper pulled in a long breath. "Okay," she whispered. "But I want you right here with me."

Chris gave her a gentle smile. "I'm not going anywhere," he assured. He gave a heavy exhale before clearing his throat. "Guys, we have one more thing!"

"No! No more announcements!" Lila protested from where she sat on Gage's lap.

"Is the pizza here yet?" Joey asked loudly.

"No! And you're not getting any," Sam teased him.

"Can you guys shut up!" Chris groaned.

"What is it Chris? Are you convinced someone is stealing your socks again?" Lucy prodded.

"No but that was legitimate – Joey," Chris cleared his throat.

"This is actually my announcement," Piper broke in. She gave a sigh. "If you can call it that."

Those in the room who were aware suddenly went rigid and quiet. Phoebe locked eyes with her sister and gave a nod. Laura lowered her head and Wyatt grabbed onto Zander's hand. Melinda could already feel the tears and looked away from the group, desperate to keep the lump at bay. Leo instinctively wrapped an arm around Kate, wanting to cushion the blow for her.

"I went to the doctor almost a month ago," Piper started shakily. Chris watched her with painful empathy. "I had been feeling under the weather and they drew some blood for some tests. I have cancer."

It wasn't the smoothest or most graceful way to break the news, but surely there seemed no correct way to do it. The group was struck with sudden shock and terror. Melinda proceeded to silently cry and Laura put an arm around her young cousin. Joey brought up a hand to cover his mouth and Sam turned away to where her aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop stood. Phoebe remained stoic while Coop was quickly teary. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed another arm around Sam.

"Its lymphoma," Piper continued shakily. Chris placed a comforting hand on her back. "Stage four. I've already been seeing an oncologist and scheduled for surgery next week."

"Surgery?" Coop asked.

"Part of my lung has been affected. Dr. Lockhart is prepared to remove the damaged lobe and to see if the cancer has spread further," she said.

"It's treatable?" Lucy asked.

Piper nodded. "It is," she assured. "And I intend to come out of this unscathed. I'm not going to die; I promise."

* * *

_Hey readers! Hope this is going over well, there's always quite a bit to fit into each installment. I would appreciate any reviews and would love to hear what you think! Thanks ~ Sammy _


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